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SIR GUY BOWED TO ANNETTE. 


A Little Maid 

OF 

Old New York 

BY 

ALICE Turner Curtis 

AUTHOR OF 

A Little Maid of Province Town / 

A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony 
A Little Maid of Narragansett Bay 
A Little Maid of Bunker Hill 
A Little Maid of Ticonderoga s/ 

A Little Maid of Old Connecticut 
A Little Maid of Old Philadelphia 
A Little Maid of Old Maine 

Illustratd by Elizabeth Pilsbry 



THE PENN PUBLISHING 
COMPANY PHILADELPHIA 
1921 


COPYRIGHT 
1921 BY 
THE PENN 
PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 



A Little Maid of Old New York 



DEC -8 1921 


©C1.A653016 



Introduction 


This story of “ A Little Maid of Old New 
York ” tells of the time when British soldiers 
were in control of that city, and describes the 
adventures of a loyal little American girl, An- 
nette Vincent, and the Tory girl who was her 
dearest friend. 

The account of Annette’s first meeting with Sir 
Guy Carleton, Washington’s entering New York, 
and the incident connected with the British and 
American flags should interest deeply the young 
readers. Girls and boys alike will admire the 
courage of Annette, and of her sailor cousin 
John Van Arsdale who raised the American flag 
on the Battery flagstaff. 


3 





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Contents 


1 . 

A Picnic Party 

• • 

9 

II. 

A Day of Adventures . 


27 

III. 

What Happened to Betty ? 


39 

IV. 

Kathy's Secret 


52 

V. 

An Unexpected Visitor 


64 

VI. 

Annette Starts for Home . 

— 

76 

VII. 

A Peace Treaty . 


86 

VIII. 

A Happy Meeting 

t 

98 

IX. 

At the Farm in the Woods 


IIO 

X. 

The Brown Colt . 


122 

XL 

Two Little Indian Girls 


134 

XII. 

A Dangerous Game 


H 7 

XIII. 

Visitors .... 


158 

XIV. 

“ The Other Six 


170 

XV. 

Nancy Runs Away 


180 

XVI. 

Nancy Vincent 


189 

XVII. 

Annette in Peril . 


198 

XVIII. 

Washington Praises Annette 

• 

208 


s 


Illustrations 


PAGE 

Sir Guy Bowed to Annette . . Front ispiea 

‘‘We Can Creep Along at the Edge of the 

Woods ” 35 

It Was a Merry Dinner for the Two Little 

Friends 70 

They Visited THE Duck Pond . . . .114 

She Would Take the Doll and Creep Out of 

THE House 187 


A Littie Maid of Old New York 


7 



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^ * 
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A Little Maid of Old 
New York 


CHAPTER I 

A PICNIC PARTY 

It was a pleasant June morning in 1783, and 
the square brick house, where Annette Vincent 
lived, on Cherry Street, New York, was flooded 
with sunshine. The front door was in the centre 
of the house with two windows on each side; and 
on the second floor there were five front windows 
facing the street. There were also five upper 
windows on the back that overlooked the garden 
which sloped down to the East River. 

It was a fine garden. The path to the river 
was bordered bj^ thrifty growing box; there were 
locust trees in blossom ; a tall elm, whose branches 
gave a pleasant shade, stood near the house, and 
flourishing rose trees, now in full bloom, grew 
along the wall which separated the garden from 

that of the neighboring house. 

9 


10 


A LITTLE MAID 


Beside the many flowers and shrubs there was 
a well-cared-for plot of vegetables, where Mrs. 
Vincent often worked in the early morning. But 
Annette was not thinking of the garden on that 
June morning as she leaned from one of the 
upper windows and looked anxiously toward the 
river. She could hear Lottie, her mother’s negro 
maid, singing about her work in the rear of the 
house. Now and then the rumble of a passing 
cart on Cherry Street could be heard, and there 
were calls of birds from the garden. But the 
sounds were all those of a quiet, peaceful morn- 
ing, and there was nothing to remind the little 
American girl that the city of New York had 
been occupied for nearly seven years by British 
soldiers whose officers lived in the fine houses on 
Broadway and Wall Street, while the Bowery, 
on the outskirts of the city, was occupied by the 
camps of the British soldiers. 

Annette was only ten years old, and she could 
not remember the days of 1776, before the great 
fire that destroyed hundreds of buildings, and 
when General George Washington had been 
driven from the city by the superior forces of the 
English under Sir Henry Clinton. But the 
little girl had often heard those days described by 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


11 


her mother and father. How Sir Henry Clinton 
had landed his men at Kip’s Bay, and, taking the 
American troops at disadvantage, had put them 
to rout, pursuing the fugitives over the fields to 
Murray Hill, and forcing Washington to retreat 
into New Jersey. But at Yorktown in 1781 the 
Ajnericans had defeated the English forces 
under Cornwallis, with the result that the Eng- 
lish owned themselves defeated in their struggle 
to control the United States, and now the loyal 
Ajnericans of New York believed the time to be 
near at hand when peace between England and 
Ajnerica would be established. Annette was 
very sure that some day she would see General 
Washington come riding through the city to 
Bowling Green and watch the British ships sail 
from New York harbor with all the English 
sailors on board. 

As she looked eagerly toward the river, watch- 
ing for the first glimpse of her Cousin John Van 
Arsdale’s sailboat, Annette thought to herself 
that she wished it might come to pass on this very 
day. ‘‘ It would indeed be even better than a pic- 
nic at Staten Island to see all those English ships 
sail away,” thought Annette. 

Nevertheless the prospect of a sail across the 


12 


A LITTLE MAID 

harbor and a picnic dinner with her three best 
friends, Delia Davidson, Betty Mason, and 
Katherine Down and Cousin John, was full of 
delight; and Annette was all -ready to run toward 
the landing at the foot of the garden when she 
should see the sail of the Fleetwing, her cousin’s 
boat, round the point a short distance up the 
river. 

Annette was always very proud indeed when 
her Cousin John asked her to go with him on one 
of his frequent excursions about the harbor. 
John, as Annette often reminded Kathy Down, 
was a “ real sailor,” although not yet sixteen 
years old; he had voyaged to Cuba, beside visit- 
ing Jamestown, and other southern ports; and 
now hoped that the British would soon leave 
New York and that he might embark on a longer 
voyage than he had yet undertaken. 

John, on his part, was always well pleased 
with his little cousin’s company. She did not 
jump about in the boat, or meddle with the tiller 
or the ropes. She was not easily frightened, and 
obeyed promptly John’s careful directions for 
her safety. To-day was a special occasion; for 
John had told Annette that she might ask her 
three girl friends to go with them for a day’s pic- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


13 


nic to Staten Island. Delia, Betty and Kathy 
had accepted the invitation with evident enthu- 
siasm, and they were to be at the Battery at an 
early hour, as that was a more convenient point 
for them than the landing on Cherry Street. 

‘‘There’s the boat! There’s the Fleetwing 
Annette exclaimed, as, after a long watchful 
half hour, she caught her first glimpse of her 
cousin’s boat rounding the point at the foot of 
the garden; and in an instant the little girl was 
running down the stairs and through the lower 
hall to the back porch where her mother sat sew- 
ing. 

“Here is your cape, dear; and Lottie will carry 
the basket to the landing,” said Mrs. Vincent, 
smiling at the sight of her little daughter’s happy 
face. “ Tell John to take great care of his pas- 
sengers, and bring you all home in good season.” 

“Yes, yes. Mother dear. You know Cousin 
John is never careless. Does not Father say 
that John could navigate a ship if need were,” 
responded Annette, and the little girl kissed her 
mother’s cheek, and with a smiling “ good-bye ” 
ran down the box-bordered path to the river, 
while Lottie with the well-filled lunch basket 
followed closely behind her. 


14 


A LITTLE MAID 

They reached the landing some minutes be- 
fore the Fleetwing, and Lottie set the basket 
down carefully with a warning look toward An- 
nette. 

Yo’ sees how keerful I sets this basket down? 
Wal, den, yo’ take keer dat odder folks be keer- 
ful wid it,” cautioned Lottie. “An’ ’sides dat 
yo’ be keerful wid dat clean dress yo’s w-earin’. 
Nebber min’ if it don’ be yo’ bes’ dress, it be 
clean,” added Lottie solemnly; and Annette 
promised to be careful, looking down at the 
pretty blue checked gingham, and thinking to 
herself that not even Kathy Down, whose father 
had one of the finest shops on Smith Street 
(where the wives and daughters of the British 
officers bought fine lawns and cambrics, silk 
aprons, and buttons of silver), could have a bet- 
ter-ironed gingham or one made more neatly 
than this. Annette was always well pleased 
with the simple dresses her mother made for her. 
Loyal Americans living in New York in 1783 
could not have manv fine clothes or luxuries of 
any kind, and Annette’s mother and father had 
not faltered in their loyalty to America. 

Annette’s eyes were brown, nearly the same 
color as a ripe chestnut; and her hair was a shade 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


15 


darker, soft and fine, and hung in smooth curls 
under the wide hat of coarse white straw which 
was tied under her chin by a wide blue and white 
plaided ribbon. She wore white stockings and 
ankle-tie slippers, and as she stood under the 
wide spreading oak tree that shaded the landing 
she made a most pleasant picture. 

'' Passengers all aboard for Staten Island,” 
John called smilingly, as he skilfully brought the 
Fleetwing beside the landing, and held the boat 
steady for his cousin to step on board. 

“ Yo’ handle dat basket keerful, Massa John,” 
warned Lottie, as John reached for the square, 
well-covered basket. 

“ Of course I will, Lottie,” responded John 
gravely, greatly to the approval of the anxious 
Lottie, who now turned back to the house sure 
that her excellent spiced cake would not be 
broken to bits by careless handling. 

“ Good and heavy,” said John as he set the 
basket in the tiny cabin. 

“ There is everything you like best in that 
basket,” declared Annette soberly, as she care- 
fully took the seat John pointed out near the 
tiller. 

“ No wonder then that it is heavy,” said the 


16 


A LITTLE MAID 


boy laughing; “ but I’ll wager it will be light 
enough when we come back. A good sail gives 
a good appetite, and there’s a fair breeze this 
morning. I hope your girl friends will not keep 
us waiting at the Battery.” 

“ I am sure they will be there before us,” 
Annette replied eagerly. “ Kathy Down was at 
my house yesterday to show me her fine new neck- 
lace of coral beads, and she said she would surely 
be at the Battery in good season.” 

John was busy with sail and tiller, and made 
no response to his cousin until the boat had 
cleared the landing and was headed toward the 
Battery. Then, as the sail of the Fleetwing 
caught the breeze and the sloop moved swiftly 
along, he said: ‘‘ Kathy Do^vn’s father is too good 
a friend of the Tories to suit me, Annette. Why, 
he says openly that the British officers are his 
best customers. How happens it that so loyal 
a girl as you chooses the daughter of such a man 
for your best friend? ” and John looked down at 
his little cousin as if she were in some way to 
blame for Mr. Down’s opinion of the English 
officers. 

“ ’Tis not Kathy’s fault that her father is 
friendly with the British,” responded Annette 


17 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

earnestly, “And, Cousin John, how can I help 
but like her? She is always pleasant, and if you 
do but look at her she smiles as if she were 
pleased. Why, my mother says that Kathy has 
the prettiest manners of any little girl who comes 
to see me,” and Annette looked pleadingly to- 
ward her cousin as if hoping he would relent and 
say that Kathy Down was not to be blamed for 
the opinions of her father. 

But the boy’s face did not lose its look of dis- 
approval. He realized, as it was not possible for 
Annette to do, all the sacrifices and sufferings 
that had been endured by the loyal Americans of 
New York during the past seven years while the 
British officers and their families had taken the 
best houses in the city for their own use, and 
passed their time in a round of gayety. It was 
well known that Daniel Down kept his best 
goods for their purchase, and received many 
favors from the officers. He knew that Kathy 
often played with the English children, and he 
was sorry that his cousin was so fond of her. 
But John was too fair-minded and friendly a lad 
to cherish any unkindness toward a child, and his 
face softened as he nodded toward Annette and 
said: “ I must try and be as well-mannered as 


18 


A LITTLE MAID 


Katherine, I suppose, and smile whenever any- 
one looks at me.” 

Annette’s face brightened at her cousin’s good- 
natured response. She was now sure that there 
would be no cloud on the pleasure of the day; for, 
no matter what might be thought or said of the 
loyalty of Mr. Down, Annette was confident that 
Kathy was her “ best ” friend. There was no 
other girl who could think of more pleasant 
games than Kathy, or who was more ready to 
help carry out the plans suggested by her com- 
panions. So Annette smiled approvingly at her 
cousin’s friendly words, and then looked eagerly 
toward Bowling Green and the Battery, where 
the English flag floated from the tall flag- 
staff. 

“ There they are, John! All three waiting for 
us. And I can see baskets. We shall have a 
feast, for Lottie said she had packed a fine 
luncheon.” 

John’s face brightened, for he was boy enough, 
in spite of his long voyages, to be well pleased by 
the assurance of well-filled picnic baskets, and 
he waved his blue cap at the little group on the 
wharf. 

Betty Mason and Delia Davidson were both 


19 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

two years older than Annette and Kathy. They 
were tall girls for their age, and thought them- 
selves nearly grown up. They each had blue 
eyes, and their flaxen hair was neatly braided and 
nearly hidden from sight under hats of coarse 
straw, similar to the one Annette wore. They 
wore simple dresses of blue cotton, and as they 
stood side by side they might have been taken for 
sisters. 

Kathy Down was just behind the two older 
girls, and not until John had politely handed 
them to their seats in the boat did she step for- 
ward. Kathy and Annette were not only the 
same age but they were nearly the same size and 
complexion. Kathy’s hair was a little darker 
than Annette’s and her eyes were gray instead 
of brown. When she smiled there were dimples 
in each cheek; and the little girl’s friendly ex- 
pression and pleasant manners won her the ap- 
proving regard of the older people as well as of 
her own playmates. 

Unlike the other girls, Kathy did not wear a 
broad-rimmed hat or a cotton dress. Her dress 
was of thin blue wool, the skirt made somewhat 
shorter than was then worn by small girls, and 
the blouse was made loose and straight like those 


20 


A LITTLE MAID 

worn by sailors, with a wide white collar; her cap^ 
too, was shaped like the cap of a sailor, but it 
was made of scarlet cloth. 

Annette looked admiringly at her little friend 
as she stepped on board, and even J ohn gave an 
approving look at “ the little Tory’s ” sailor-like 
costume, thinking it much more suitable for a 
day’s cruise than the ruffled cotton dresses of his 
other passengers. 

But Betty and Delia had already confided to 
each other that they thought Kathy’s dress 
‘‘ queer.” They greatly preferred their own 
flounced gowns and straw hats, and, besides that, 
the color of Kathy’s cap was exactly the color of 
the coats of the British officers, a color that even 
the American children had come to consider as a 
mark of disloyalty to America. So neither 
Betty nor Delia felt any admiration for Kathy’s 
appearance, but regarded her with unsmiling 
eyes as she took her seat beside them. 

There were a number of English soldiers 
loitering about the Battery and they looked at 
the neat sloop and its passengers with good- 
natured interest. As J ohn made ready to swing 
his boat out from the wharf one of the soldiers 
stepped forward and said pleasantly: “Attend to 


OF OLD NEW YORK 21 

your tiller, young man, and I’ll push your boat 
clear.” 

John scowled at the man resentfully, and re- 
sponded sharply: “ I need no help.” 

The smile vanished from the face of the red- 
coated soldier and he frowned a little threaten- 
ingly as he said sharply: 

“ You need a lesson in good manners, young 
sir; I’ve a mind to sink your fine boat and shut 
you up for a while to teach you your place.” 

The Fleetwing was now out of reach, and John 
laughed scornfully. “ Better be getting ready 
for your voyage to England,” he called back, as 
the mainsail caught the breeze and sent the boat 
skimming over the water, leaving a sparkling 
ripple in her wake. 

But the little girls were frightened by the sol- 
dier’s words, and Annette looked at her cousin 
anxiously, wishing that John had not shown so 
plainly his dislike toward the redcoat. 

“ Could he — could he sink the boat and shut 
you up, John? ” she questioned fearfully. 

John nodded carelessly, as if being shut up 
by an English soldier was a very small mat- 
ter. 

“ Oh, very likely. New York is a Tory city. 


22 


A LITTLE MAID 

in spite of our army having beaten them at 
Bunker Hill and Yorktown. But it will not be 
long before the British will be driven out,” he 
declared, “ and I’d like to be the one to pull down 
their old flag when they do go,” he added sharply, 
turning a revengeful glance back to the tall flag- 
pole on the Battery where the English flag 
floated in the summer breeze. But John had 
not the faintest idea that, before six months 
should pass, he would perform that very service 
while General Washington looked on. 

“ I do not believe the English soldier would 

really ” began Katherine, but John looked 

at her with such disapproval that the little girl 
did not venture to continue her excuses for 
America’s enemy, and she turned toward Betty 
and Delia only to find that they, too, were re- 
garding her in surprise. 

Katherine began to wish that she had not ac- 
cepted Annette’s invitation. She wondered why 
her companions were so silent and unfriendly, 
and had Annette not, at that very moment, ex- 
claimed ardently: “ Oh, Kathy, you always wear 
the prettiest things. I wish I had a dress and 
cap exactly like yours,” Kathy would have felt 
herself quite deserted. But she was ready to 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


23 


smile happily at her little friend, and was about 
to explain that her mother had made both dress 
and cap, when Delia said: 

“ Kathy’s cap is the same color as the coats of 
the British officers. ’Tis not a color I like to see 
or wear,” and Delia looked toward John as if ex- 
pecting a word of approval for her loyal senti- 
ment. 

But John had not heard the remark. He was 
busy shaping the boat’s course, and at that mo- 
ment he called out: 

“ Look out for your heads,” and as Kathy and 
Annette leaned over for the boom to swing to 
leeward Annette whispered: “ Kathy, I have 
something lovely to tell you just as soon as I can 
without the others hearing.” So Katherine was 
quite her smiling self again, and explained to 
Delia that her mother had intended making her 
a cap of blue cloth, but had not enough material. 

John was singing softly to himself: 

*‘T'he wind sets fair, 

The vesseVs stout and tall, 

Bright Castdbella. 

A sailor free from care 
Am I, when the wind sets fair. 

Bright Castabella,^* 


24 ) 


A LITTLE MAID 


as he guided his boat down the harbor, past the 
British ships that lay at anchor awaiting the com- 
mands of Sir Guy Carleton, who had already 
promised Governor Clinton that the British sol- 
diers should leave New York as soon as possible. 

Beyond the ships the girls could see the pleas- 
ant wooded shores of Staten Island, and John 
headed the Fleetwing toward the eastern end of 
the island, where there was no settlement near 
the shore, and where he felt sure no one would 
disturb them. 

The place John had selected for a landing was 
a ledge of rocks that ran out into the deep water. 
Here the sloop could float easily and would not 
ground, and the girls could walk from the ledge 
to the shore without wetting their shoes. 

Delia and Betty stepped very carefully as they 
made their way over the ledge. But Kathy 
clasped Annette’s arm. “ I am going to take off 
my shoes and stockings and leave them in the 
boat, then I can run about as I please,” she said. 

“ I will too,” responded Annette eagerly, with 
an admiring look at Kathy’s smiling face, and the 
two little girls put their shoes and stockings and 
also their hats in the tiny cabin. 

Delia and Betty looked at the younger girls 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


25 


in surprise as Annette and Kathy ran lightly 
over the warm brown ledges to the grassy slope 
where J ohn had carried the baskets. Delia 
would have been glad to follow their example, 
but Betty’s look was disapproving. Betty felt 
that she was too nearly a young lady to run 
about barefooted. 

The little point toward the eastern end of the 
island was the very place for a day’s picnic. 
There was a smooth, grass-grown slope, well 
shaded by a large beech-tree. Behind this was 
thick undergrowth and tall trees. Beyond the 
ledge where they had landed stretched a smooth 
beach, and Katherine promptly suggested to 
Annette that they should go wading. 

“ The water is sure to be warm, and then you 
can tell me what you did not want the others to 
hear,” she said, as the two little girls stood to- 
gether a short distance from the others. 

“ That will be splendid,” Annette responded 
quickly. “ Betty Mason has begun to knit al- 
ready, and she and Delia will never miss us. 
John is spreading a strip of sail-cloth over that 
old log for them to sit on, and if he wants us, all 
he has to do is call and we will be sure to hear 
him.” 


26 


A LITTLE MAID 


“Yes, indeed,” smiled Kathy, and hand in 
hand the two little girls ran over the smooth, 
sun-warmed ledges to the sandy beach. 

As they reached the water’s edge Annette 
said: “ Now I will tell you, Katherine, and I 
do hope you will think it as splendid as I do.” 


CHAPTER II 


A DAY OF ADVENTURES 

There was no house to be seen from the little 
point where the Fleetwing had landed its pas- 
sengers. But there were many flourishing farms 
and settlements on Staten Island, and it had 
been a place of great importance to both the 
English and American armies. 

“ It’s not far from here that Lord William 
Howe landed his thirty thousand troops in Au- 
gust, 1776,” said John soberly, as he turned to 
look out across the harbor where the English 
men-of-war and other ships of the enemy floated 
at anchor. 

And those very soldiers landed at Kip’s 
Bay and drove the American army from New 
York,” said Betty gravely, looking up from the 
stocking of white cotton that she was knitting. 

Mother remembers all about it,” she con- 

27 


28 


A LITTLE MAID 


tinued. “ She says that there were swarms of 
British troops everywhere.” 

“ Of course she remembers it; I remember it 
myself, and I always shall,” responded John. 
“ Why, ’tis but seven years ago. And ’twill not 
be as many months longer now before we’ll see 
these British ships, with all their redcoats on 
board, sail out of New York harbor forever, and 
Washington in New York to stay.” 

‘‘ Then my father will come home, for he is 
with General Washington,” said Betty happily. 
“ But are you very sure, John, that the English 
will soon leave New York? ” she added, a little 
doubtful that such good news could be true. 

John nodded confidently. “ They can’t stay 
much longer,” he declared. “ Why, ’tis nearly 
two years since the Americans drove Cornwallis 
from Yorktown, and everyone said that ended 
the war and made America a free nation. But 
these English stay on here until the United 
States and England can agree on a Treaty of 
Peace.” 

Delia and Betty exchanged a puzzled look. 
Neither of the girls quite understood what John 
meant by the word “ treaty,” but both were sure 
it had something to do with the return of Gen- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


29 


eral Washington to New York, and therefore it 
must be an excellent word. Neither of them 
wished to ask John to explain it, so Delia said; 
“ Yes indeed,” as if agreeing with what John 
had said, and Betty began counting stitches with 
great diligence. 

“ ’Tis too early for lunch,” said John, a little 
regretfully, with a glance at the well-filled bas- 
kets. ‘‘ ’Tis not much after ten. I will sail 
along shore for an hour and maybe catch a cod 
or two. You girls will not be afraid to be left 
alone? ” 

“ No, indeed,” Betty and Delia answered 
promptly. “Annette and Kathy are running 
about on the beach within call, and will soon re- 
turn, and we will begin to spread the' luncheon 
when we see the Fleetwing headed for shore,” 
continued Betty. 

“ I’ll not be away more than an hour or two,” 
said John, “ unless one of these British ships 
captures the Fleetwing he added laughingly, 
and turned back toward his boat, well pleased at 
the prospect of a further cruise along the wind- 
ing shore. 

Bettv and Delia watched John as he ran 

•/ 

swiftly over the ledges, and in a few moments 


30 


A LITTLE MAID 


they saw the Fleetwing move slowly out into the 
channel; then Betty returned to her knitting. 
But Delia drew a long breath of satisfaction. 

“Goody! Goody! Goody!’’ she exclaimed, 
jumping about, to Betty’s evident amazement. 
“ I hope he will stay away for hours, don’t you, 
Betty? ” 

“ What for? ” exclaimed Betty. “ I am sure 
John is a kind and pleasant boy, and ’tis not 
polite or seemly to wish him away when we would 
not be here at all save for his kindness,” and 
Betty looked disapprovingly at her friend. 

“ Oh! Of course, Betty^ I do not mean any 
harm of John; only I feared he might think I 
was too nearly grown up to take off my shoes 
and stockings and play with Kathy and Annette 
as I mean to,” and Delia began untying her shoes 
as she spoke. 

“ Well, Delia, it does seem like a little girl to 
wish to do so foolish a thing,” Betty replied dis- 
approvingly. “ I am very sure I would not 
think of it even.” 

“ You are only twelve anyway, Betty Mason,” 
Delia reminded her, “ and I am sure there is no 
harm in taking off one’s hat and shoes and stock- 
ings on so warm a day. Oh! Betty, come on. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


31 


You will have years and years to be grown up,” 
and Delia looked pleadingly at Betty’s sober 
face. 

For a moment Betty made no reply. She was 
just “ setting the heel ” of the stocking, and was 
carefully counting stitches. Delia was in no 
mood to wait patiently, and as she untied the 
broad hat ribbons she exclaimed: 

“ Well, sit there and knit then, if that is your 
idea of a picnic. I am going to find Annette 
and Kathy and have a good time. I’m not in 
such a hurry to be an old woman as you are, 
Betty Mason,” and with a scornful look at 
her companion, Delia started off toward the 
shore. 

The grass was not as soft as Delia had ex- 
pected, and after a few steps she began to go 
more cautiously. But once on the smooth ledge 
she quickened her pace. She could see Annette 
and Kathy wading in the quiet waters of the cove 
and was eager to join them. 

Annette had told Kathy the pleasant news 
that she had not wished the other girls to hear, 
and Kathy was as well pleased as Annette had 
hoped. Annette’s news was an invitation for 
Katherine to accompany her on a visit to her 


32 A LITTLE MAID 

Grandmother Vincent, who lived in Greenwich 
Village. 

“ My grandmother told me to ask any little 
girl I pleased for company,” Annette had ex- 
plained eagerly, “ and I would rather have you 
than anyone, Kathy. She wishes us to come 
next Saturday and stay a week, and my father 
will drive us there and come after us.” 

“ I am sure my mother will be well pleased 
that I have so kind an invitation,” said Kath- 
erine, smiling so radiantly that Annette thought, 
as she so often did, that there was no other girl 
in all New York as lovely or as friendly as 
Kathy Down. Before either of the little girls 
could say another word a loud call made them 
turn quickly, to see Delia running along the 
beach toward them. 

“Isn’t it fun to wade!” she called eagerly, 
splashing along at the edge of the shore. “ Betty 
wouldn’t come. She’d rather make-believe she is 
grown up,” Delia added, as she came up beside 
the younger girls. “ I wish we all had on old 
dresses, then we could splash about all we liked,” 
she said regretfully, holding up her well-starched 
skirts with both hands. “ John has gone off shore 
fishing,” she added. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


33 


“And our shoes and stockings and hats are in 
the Fleetwing^s cabin,” exclaimed Katherine. 

“ That’s no matter,” Annette hastened to as- 
sure her friend. “We will not want to put them 
on until we start for home.” 

“ Isn’t there some game we can play? ” ques- 
tioned Delia. “ I think it would be fun to play 
‘ Indians.’ We could capture Betty and make 
her think we really were Indians.” 

“ How could we do that? We haven’t any 
blankets or feathers, or anything to hide our 
dresses,” responded Kathy, laughing at the idea 
that Betty could be so easily deceived as to take 
them for Indians. 

“ Come up the beach a little way and I will 
tell you just how,” Delia replied soberly, lead- 
ing the way to dry land, closely followed by 
Annette and Kathy, who looked at their com- 
panion wonderingly. 

“ I can tell you just how we could dress up so 
that no one would ever know us,” said Delia. 
“ We could fasten leaves and brakes all over our 
dresses, and make head-dresses of leaves to cover 
our heads, and I’m sure we can stain our hands 
and faces with bits of chestnut bark.” 

As Delia described her plan her face grew 


34 


A LITTLE MAID 


eager, and Annette and Kathy both began to 
think it would be great fun to dress up in leaves 
and play “ Indian/’ but they were still doubtful 
about capturing Betty. 

“ What would we do with her? ’’ asked 
Annette. 

“ Oh, just lead her into the woods and leave 
her. Then she would call and we would pull off 
our disguise and run to rescue her, and Betty 
would tell us that Indians had bound her and 
taken her to the woods. Afterwards we would 
tell her all about it. It would be a great joke on 
Betty,” and Delia smiled at the thought of her 
friend’s surprise. 

‘‘ You see,” she continued, “ we won’t let Betty 
really see us. We can creep up behind that log 
and blindfold her ” 

“ What with? ” interrupted Annette. “ If 
we use any of our things Betty will know who it 
is right away.” 

Delia shook her head. “ Oh, no, she will be 
too surprised. I can twist my sash about her 
head so quickly that she won’t have a glimpse of 
it, and you and Kathy can tie her hands together 
with your handkerchiefs. We won’t speak, we 
will just lead her off in silence. Come on, let’s 



WE CAN CREEP AEONG THE EDGE OF THE WOODS 




35 


OF OLD NEW. YORK 

begin to get leaves,” and Delia ran to the sloping 
bank and began to break off small branches of 
oak. 

Annette and Kathy followed her, and in a 
short time the three girls were busy fastening 
garlands of leaves together with small twigs. It 
was an easy matter to make head-dresses of leaves 
and of the tall green brakes that grew in such 
quantities a short distance from the shore; but 
they found it a more difficult matter to cover 
their skirts with leaves held together by twigs, 
and finally decided that small branches of maple 
and birch leaves tied about their waists, with 
others held about their shoulders by twisted grass, 
would disguise them sufficiently, as Delia as- 
sured the younger girls that Betty would not see 
them at all. 

“We must hurry and capture her before the 
Fleetwing gets back,” said Delia. “ We can 
creep along at the edge of the woods. We may 
have to say, ‘ Fear not,’ way down in our throats, 
so Betty will not be too frightened.” 

“ Betty is never frightened,” Annette declared. 
“ I heard her say that she would not be afraid 
of the whole British army.” 

“ Well, of course she wouldn’t. The whole 


36 


A LITTLE MAID 


British army would not hurt one little girl,” 
Kathy responded quickly, “ but being captured 
by Indians is different. We must not let Betty 
be really frightened,” and Kathy looked at Delia 
a little doubtfully. 

But the older girl cheerfully agreed with both 
Annette and Kathy. “ Of course Betty won’t 
be really frightened, and it is a good chance to 
find out if she is truly as brave as she pretends,” 
she said quickly, as she looked at her companions 
to make sure that their costumes of leaves and 
brakes was a sufficient disguise. 

‘‘ Kow we will creep along at the edge of the 
woods and come up behind the log as softly as 
possible,” she continued. “ I will have my sash 
all ready, and I will bind it over her face 
and at the same time you girls must tie 
her hands.” 

“Yes! Yes! ” agreed Annette and Kathy. 

“ Then we will lead her into the woods a little 
way and leave her, and hide and see what she 
will do,” continued Delia. 

“ But if she is really frightened we must let 
her know quickly that it is only a game,” said 
Annette, and Delia promptly consented; but the 
older girl thought to herself that both Annette 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


37 


and Kathy were rather silly to insist that Betty 
should not be seriously frightened. Delia con- 
sidered that in playing “ Indians ” half the fun 
was that the captured should believe themselves 
in danger. 

“ Come on,” said Delia in a husky whisper, 
“ and if you hurt your feet on the stubbly grass, 
don’t call out,” and with cautious steps she led 
the way back to the little clearing. But not by 
the way of the smooth ledges where Betty might 
see their approach. Delia crept along close to 
the thickly growing bushes near the shore, and 
Annette and Kathy followed closely behind her. 

The three girls endeavored to walk as much 
like Indians as possible. Every few steps Delia 
would stop and look cautiously around as if they 
might be discovered by unseen enemies. Then 
she would nod to her followers and move on. 

The log where Betty had seated herself was 
screened by a growth of laurel bushes, and it was 
behind these that the “ Indians ” stopped for a 
moment’s rest. 

“ Now creep silently,” whispered Delia, “ and 
follow me,” and she stepped out close to the log 
where she had left Betty so short a time ago. 

Delia stopped suddenly and looked about as 


38 


A LITTLE MAID 


if she feared she had come to the wrong place, 
and Annette and Kathy also stared about with 
wondering eyes. 

For Betty was not to be seen. There was the 
log covered with the strip of sail-cloth, and there 
lay Betty’s hat and the stocking on which she had 
been knitting, but Betty and the lunch-baskets 
had vanished. 


CHAPTER III 


WHAT HAPPENED TO BETTY? 

For a moment the girls looked at each other 
in amazement, then Delia whispered: 

‘‘ Sshh — don’t speak out loud. Betty is 
close by.” 

“ But where? ” responded Annette. 

“ Wait a minute; she is surely not far away,” 
said Delia, confidently, and the three little girls 
again crouched silently behind the log where 
Betty’s hat and work rested. Now and then one 
of them would cautiously raise her head and peer 
anxiously about, but there was no sign of Betty, 
and they were all becoming a little tired of so dis- 
couraging a game when a loud shout made them 
all spring up suddenly to find John standing in 
the middle of the clearing looking about as if he 
could not understand what had happened to his 
companions. 

“ Oh, here you are ! ” he declared with evident 
relief. “ But you look like small trees walking,” 

he added, smiling at the girls’ head-dresses of 

39 


40 A LITTLE MAID 

nodding brakes and the leafy branches that hid 
their dresses. 

“ Where is my luncheon? ” he continued, look- 
ing about as if expecting to see it spread out on 
the grassy slope. 

“ Oh! The baskets are gone too! ” exclaimed 
Annette in surprise, as she looked in vain for the 
well-filled luncheon baskets. 

“‘Gone too?’” questioned John, and' then 
quickly realized that Betty was missing. Before 
he could ask a question Annette began to tell him 
of the game they had planned, and of their dis- 
covery that Betty had disappeared. 

John’s face was very grave when the little girl 
had finished her story. 

“I see! And while you girls were making 
ready to take Betty prisoner for a game she 
really was captured by Indians. They may have 
been lurking near when we landed, and noticed 
the luncheon baskets, and seeing Betty alone they 
thought it too good a chance to miss,” said John, 
adding: “ It’s my fault. I ought to have stayed 
on shore.” 

“It’s my fault!” declared Delia, evidently 
ready to cry. “ I ought to have stayed with 
Betty.” 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


41 


But J ohn shook his head. “ Then there would 
be two girls missing instead of one,” he said. 
“ But we must do our best to find Betty. Per- 
haps they have not taken her very far. Prob- 
ably the baskets of food is what they wanted, and 
they may have left Betty near here. They would 
not want to be bothered with a small girl.” 

For a moment the little group looked at each 
other with anxious eyes. They forgot every- 
thing except the possibility that Betty might 
have been taken by some wandering band of In- 
dians, many of whom still lurked about the 
islands and unsettled country near New York, 
often ready to commit mischief, and they were 
feared by the settlers in lonely places. 

Although John endeavored not to let the little 
girls know how seriously he was alarmed by 
Betty’s disappearance, Annette was quick to see 
that her cousin was worried and anxious. 

“ What can we do to find Betty? ” she asked. 

For a moment John made no answer. He 
realized that he was resx^onsible for the safety of 
Annette, Delia and Kathy, as well as for Betty’s 
return, but he had learned the importance of de- 
ciding promptly, and it did not take him long to 
make a plan. 


42 


'A LITTLE MAID 

“ First of all I must take you girls on board 
the Fleetwing he said, moving toward the 
ledge. “ If I leave you here the Indians may 
return, and you cannot travel through these 
woods.” 

Delia had begun pulling on her stockings, and 
she picked up her own hat and Betty’s, as well 
as Betty’s knitting, before following the others 
toward the boat. 

“Can’t we help at all, John?” Annette 
pleaded, as John pushed the sloop out from 
shore. But John was busy with rope and tiller 
and made no answer. He was thinking of old 
stories of the Weckquaeskeeck Indians who had 
taken white children into captivity. Some way 
he must rescue Betty from such a fate. His 
plan was to anchor the Fleetwing at some dis- 
tance from shore, then paddle back in the small 
rowboat and endeavor to find trace of the miss- 
ing girl. 

As he anchored the sloop, John told the girls 
what he meant to do. 

“ You will be safe here, and can watch the 
shore. If you see any signs of Indians, or if 
Betty should come to the shore, you will see her, 
and in either case, if it be Betty or Indians, you 


48 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

must all call my name as loudly as you can. I 
will do my best to find Betty, and I may have to 
get some of the settlers to help me.” 

The three girls listened with grave faces, and 
as John pushed off from the sloop in the small 
boat they promised to follow his directions and 
to call if either Betty or Indians should appear 
on the shore. 

They watched him land and draw the skiff up 
under the thickly growing trees near the shore 
where it could not easily be seen, and then John 
vanished from sight. 

“ I ought to have stayed with Betty,” said 
Delia, in so doleful a voice that Kathy quickly 
slipped her arm about the elder girl and said: 

“ But, Delia, perhaps if you had not come to 
the beach the Indians would have captured all of 
us.” 

“ I don’t believe it was Indians,” declared 
Annette. ‘‘ I believe it was British soldiers.” 

The other two girls looked at their friend in 
amazement, and Kathy said quickly: 

‘‘ Then Bettv is safe! If the British soldiers 
carried her away with the baskets they are sure 
to have done it for a joke, and will bring Her 
back,” and Kathy smiled as if quite sure Delia 


44 


A LITTLE MAID 


and Annette must agree with her that it was not 
at all dangerous to be carried off by the soldiers 
of King George. 

But her smile quickly faded when Delia drew 
away and exclaimed: “Well, Katherine Down! 
I suppose you think it’s all right to steal our 
luncheon and frighten poor Betty, so long as 
your friends the British soldiers are the ones to 
blame,” and Kathy found that even the faithful 
Annette was looking at her with disapproving 
eyes. But before either of the little girls could 
speak they heard the splash of oars and a loud 
call, and turned to see a long boat manned by 
red-coated soldiers drawing up beside the Fleet- 
wing, It had evidently come around the point 
and the girls had been watching the shore so in- 
tently that they had not noticed it. 

For a moment the girls gazed at the young 
man who had leaped lightly from the boat into 
the Fleetwing , as if they were too frightened to 
speak, but as he turned and lifted Betty on board 
they all called out joyfully: “ Oh, Betty! Betty! 
Betty!” and for the moment forgetting the 
hated soldiers, smiled happily at their friend. 

Betty began talking before they could ask her 
a question. “ I got lost,” she declared. “After 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


45 


you started off, Delia, I thought I would just 
walk into the woods a little way, and I kept walk- 
ing, and first thing I knew I came to another 
shore! And these kind men were fishing quite 
near, and when they saw me they came and got 
me, and I told them about the ledge and the cove 
and the smooth grassy place, and they were just 
bringing me back when I saw you were all on 
the Fleetwing, Where’s John? ” And Betty, 
a little breathless, but smiling happily, looked 
about for some sign of the Fleetwing's captain. 

At Betty’s question the other girls recalled 
John’s command to call him at the moment Betty 
should appear, and instantly Annette, Delia and 
Kathy called: “John! John! John!” greatly 
to the amusement of the red-coated soldier who 
had lifted Betty on board the Fleetwing, 

There were two other men in the rowboat, who 
laughed heartily as the girls’ voices rang out 
across the quiet cove and then were echoed in 
fainter notes — “John! John! John!” until it 
seemed as if a dozen voices were calling. 

“ Come on, Peter,” called one of the oarsmen, 
“ we must get back to our fishing.” 

“ I don’t like leaving these children alone,” 
said Peter, but his companions urged him im- 


46 


A LITTLE MAID 


patiently, and just as John appeared on the 
ledge Peter stepped into the boat. 

“ Thank you very much for bringing me to the 
Fleetwing/" said Betty, looking up at the friendly 
young soldier. 

“ You are quite welcome,” he responded smil- 
ingly, “ but in future don’t leave your friends 
when you are on a strange island.” 

“ Oh, they left me,” Betty explained ea- 
gerly. 

“ We are all much obliged to you, Mr. Peter,” 
Annette added, remembering that it was her 
part}^ and therefore her duty to thank Betty’s 
rescuers, even if they were English soldiers, 
“ and to your friends,” she added, looking at the 
two red-coated men who held their oars ready to 
start. 

The men nodded in friendly fashion, and one 
of them said: “ You are a very polite little lady; 
perhaps your father is an Englishman? ” 

‘‘ Oh, no indeed, he is a loyal American,” 
Annette answered quickly. 

“ Come on, Peter, before you are captured by 
the enemy,” said the man, still smiling, and the 
young soldier jumped lightly into the boat, and 
the men dipped their oars, and called back a 


47 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

good-bye to the little group on board the Fleet- 
wing as their skiff moved swiftly across the quiet 
water toward the point. 

J ohn had come racing back to the shore at the 
sound of the girls’ voices just in time to see the 
boat with three red-coated soldiers on board mov- 
ing away from his sloop. In a moment he had 
pulled his skiff from its hiding-place and was 
rowing toward the Fleetwing, John did not 
stop to think that these English soldiers might 
decide to take him a prisoner, or that he could 
do little to prevent their taking possession of his 
boat if they decided to; he thought only of the 
four small girls for whose safety he was respon- 
sible, and was ready to face any number of red- 
coats in their behalf ; nevertheless he was glad to 
see their boat headed toward the point. 

As John drew near the sloop Annette called 
out: “ Betty is safe. She got lost and the sol- 
diers found her and brought her back,” and 
Betty added: 

“ They were just as kind as if they had been 
American soldiers.” 

John made no response to this. He was 
thankful indeed to have Betty safe on board the 
Fleetwing, 


48 


A LITTLE MAID 

“ "Where are the lunch-baskets? ” Betty asked 
a moment later, looking about as if expecting to 
see them. 

‘‘They are lost!” declared Delia. “Some- 
one must have taken them, Betty, after you went 
away, for we could not see them.” 

“ Of course you couldn’t. I set them behind 
the laurel bushes,” responded Betty. 

“ I’ll fetch them on board,” said John, “ and 
we will eat our luncheon here. It is well past 
noon now.” 

The little girls looked at one another with 
sober faces, and John was quick to see that they 
were disappointed, and added: “ Perhaps it will 
be more fun to go on shore after all,” and began 
to pull up the anchor. 

The girls’ faces brightened instantly. “Yes 
indeed. It wouldn’t seem like a real picnic to 
eat luncheon on the boat,” said Annette. 

John hoisted the sail and turned the Fleet- 
wing's prow toward the ledge. 

Betty was the first to land, and she ran swiftly 
along the ledge to the clearing and was bringing 
the baskets from their hiding-place when the 
other girls joined her. 

It was now well on in the afternoon, and they 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


49 


were all hungry. As they sat about the big log 
and ate the excellent food John gravely re- 
minded them that they all ought to be grateful 
indeed that no wandering band of Indians had 
found Betty and carried her away. 

“And that the soldiers found me,” said Betty, 
adding soberly: “ I do not see why they are 
not just like Americans.” 

“ I will be well pleased when there’s not a red- 
coat to be seen within a day’s sail of New York,” 
said J ohn, “ and we must be starting for home. 
The wind is offshore now, and ’twill take longer 
to get back than it did to come.” 

The little girls took their places in the boat, 
talking eagerly of all that had happened since 
they first landed on the ledge. Delia felt that 
Betty was the heroine of the day; to be lost and 
rescued by British soldiers seemed a great ad- 
venture. Annette and Kathy, seated near the 
tiny cabin, whispered together of the good time 
they were sure to have when they visited Madame 
Vincent at Greenwich Village, while John whis- 
tled softly to himself as he watched the English 
warships lying at anchor, and hoped that very 
soon he might see them all sail out New York 
harbor never to return. 


50 


A LITTLE MAID 


I’m sure we will always remember our pic- 
nic at Staten Island,” said Delia, as the Fleet- 
wing approached the Battery landing. 

“ Thank you for our lovely sail,” said Kathy, 
as John helped her from the boat. But Betty 
quite forgot to thank the young sailor; she had 
started off toward home eager to tell her mother 
of the great adventure. 

“ I guess Betty has forgotten all about being 
grown up,” said Delia, as she thanked Annette 
and John for the day’s excursion and followed 
her friends toward home. 

The long June day was nearly over as John 
sailed the Fleetwing along the shore toward the 
landing at the foot of the Vincent garden. The 
land breeze brought the fragrance of many 
flowering shrubs and plants from the pleasant 
gardens that bordered the harbor’s edge, and 
Annette, watching the glow of the setting sun 
reflected in the waters of the bay, was sure there 
was no lovelier place in all the world than her 
own home. 

Mrs. Vincent was at the landing and Annette 
called out gaily : “ Oh, Mother, dear, we have had 
adventures by sea and land.” 

John laughed at his little cousin’s words, and 


OF OLD NEW YORK 51 

explained briefly to his aunt just what had hap- 
pened. 

“ Make your boat fast and come in to supper 
with us, J ohn,” said Mrs. Vincent, and the boy 
smilingly complied. 

As they walked through the garden Annette 
told of dressing up in leaves and ferns, and of 
their plan to capture Betty. “ And Kathy has 
promised to go to Grandma’s with me,” she 
added, as they reached the house. 


CHAPTER ly 
kathy'^s secret 

At Annette’s words: “ Kathy has promised fo 
go to Grandma’s with me,” John’s smile van- 
ished and he looked quickly toward his aunt, won- 
dering if Mrs. Vincent would approve of 
Annette’s invitation to “ the little Tory,” as he 
called Kathy in his thoughts. But Mrs. Vincent 
made no response, and very soon they were all 
seated about the table in the dining-room, where 
Annette’s father was waiting for them. 

As Mr. Vincent listened to Annette’s story of 
the day’s adventures his face grew serious. 

“ Staten Island is not the safest place for loyal 
Americans just now,” he said, “ and I should not 
have been surprised if some of those British sol- 
diers had taken your sloop, John, and left you to 
get home as best you could. The British have 
controlled that island since 1776.” 

“And the Indians, the Delawares and Aque- 
hongas, still lurk about the island,” added Mrs. 
Vincent. 


52 


A LITTLE MAID 


53 


“ I chose a safe place,” responded John. 
“ The British do not dare trouble Americans 
much now. They know they are beaten. I 
heard this very morning that American prisoners 
are being set free from the Provost Building and 
from the prison ships in the harbor. I’m not 
afraid of the British,” John concluded. 

Mr. Vincent smiled at his nephew’s words, and 
turned toward Annette. “ Who is to go with 
you to Grandma Vincent’s on Saturday, An- 
nette? ” he questioned. 

“ Kathy Down, Father. I like Kathy the 
best of all the girls, and I am sure Grandma 
will think her a pleasant child,” Annette an- 
swered. 

“ It may be that Mrs. Down will not think best 
for Katherine to go to Greenwich Village,” said 
Mrs. Vincent. 

“Oh, Mother!” Annette’s voice sounded as 
if she was ready to cry at even the suggestion of 
such a thing. But nothing more was said of the 
visit, and after supper John bade them good- 
night and returned to his boat to sail up the East 
River to his own home, while the Vincents sat for 
a while on their front porch to enjoy the cool of 
the evening and to exchange friendly greetings 


54 


'A LITTLE MAID 


with their neighbors, as was the pleasant custom 
of the neighborhood. 

“ I have been thinking, Annette, that on J uly 
Fourth you could ask all your little friends to a 
garden party,” said Mrs. Vincent, as the clock 
struck nine, and Annette, quite ready for sleep 
after her long day in the open air, started for bed. 

“ Oh, Mother, that will be splendid,” declared 
the little girl, ‘‘ and that will be the very week 
after we get home from Greenwich Village.” 

“July Fourth is the day we must remember, 
even with the British still in New York,” said 
Mr. Vincent, following Annette up the broad 
staircase, “ for it was the date of America’s for- 
mal Declaration of Independence in 177 6.” 

“Yes, Mother. And what will we do that 
day? ” responded Annette. 

“ Why, we must plan some entertainment,” 
said Mrs. Vincent. “ When you go to Green- 
wich Village you can ask Grandma Vincent to 
suggest something that we can do to amuse your 
little friends.” 

“ Yes, yes, I will. Grandma can always think 
of lovely games,” declared Annette, and long 
after Mrs. Vincent had said good-night the little 
girl’s thoughts lingered about the good times 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


55 


ahead : the visit to her grandmother, and a garden 
party to follow. It was no wonder that Annette 
believed herself a very fortunate girl and quite 
forgot the possibility that Kathy Down’s mother 
might not give permission for her little daughter 
to go to Greenwich Village for a visit to Madame 
Vincent. 

It was two days later when Lottie handed a 
note to Annette, saying: “ Dat wuthless nigger 
ob Massa Down’s jes’ fetched dis, an’ he say ’tis 
for Miss Annette.” 

At that time negroes were held as slaves in 
New York City, and there was an open market 
where they were bought and sold. It was not 
until 1827 that slavery in New York ended. 

“ Oh, it’s from Kathy, to say that she will go 
with me on Saturday morning,” Annette ex- 
claimed, as she took th6 square folded note. But 
after she had broken the seal and read a few lines 
her smile disappeared, for Kathy had written to 
say that her mother would not permit her to ac- 
cept Annette’s invitation. 

“ I am so sorry, dear Annette,” wrote Kathy, 
“ that I cannot go with you on Saturday, but I 
thank you very much for asking me. I want to 
see you very much for I have a great secret to 


56 


A LITTLE MAID 


tell you. I hope I can see you before you go to 
Greenwich Village.” 

“ Oh, dear! What will I do? Kathy cannot 
go with me to Grandma’s,” said Annette, as she 
finished reading her letter and turned toward her 
mother, who was busy with her sewing. 

“And I do believe you are glad. Mother,” the 
little girl added. “You look as if you were glad 
that Kathy cannot go, and I have heard you 
say that she is a pleasant and well-mannered 
child.” 

Mrs. Vincent lay down her work and put her 
arm about Annette. “ So she is, dear; but if 
Kathy cannot go you can surely ask Delia or 
Betty.” 

“ Ko! If Kathy cannot go I will go alone,” 
declared the little girl. “ I know why you do 
not want Kathy to go, and why Cousin John 
does not like her. ’Tis because her father is 
friendly with the British. ’Tis not fair. Mother,” 
and Annette’s cheeks flushed at the thought that 
her little friend was not fairlv treated. Without 
giving her mother time to reply Annette ran from 
the sitting-room into the garden, still holding 
Kathy’s letter in her hand. 

She went toward the river to her favorite 


57 


OF OLD NEW. YORK 

seat under the big oak tree near the landing, and 
sitting down on the broad wooden bench that Mr. 
Vincent had built there, she again opened and 
read Kathy's letter. 

“ I do wish I knew what Kathy’s great secret 
is,” she thought, “ and if I go to Grandma’s on 
Saturday I must see Kathy to-day or to-mor- 
row.” Annette’s face grew serious at this, for 
she was almost sure that her mother would not 
give her permission to go to Mr. Down’s fine 
house on Nassau Street, where two English of- 
ficers lodged. 

“ I’ll go now,” she suddenly decided, and ran 
back toward the house. Mrs. Vincent had 
stepped to the kitchen to assist Lottie in some 
household task, so that Annette reached her own 
room, put on her pretty hat of white straw and 
reached the street without being seen. She hur- 
ried along, turning into St. George’s Square, and 
crossing Queen Street turned westward to Wall 
Street, which was then the fashionable prome- 
nade of the city. But it was too early in the day 
to meet any of the fine ladies on their way to 
Smith Street, where Merchant Down and other 
shopkeepers displayed camblets, moreens, lute- 
strings, silks and India muslins, and Annette 


58 


A LITTLE MAID 


reached Nassau Street without meeting anyone 
whom she knew. 

The Down house was shaded by two large elm 
trees, and the front door was reached by a long 
flight of wooden steps. Annette had been so 
eager to see Kathy and to endeavor to persuade 
Mrs. Down to give permission for her little 
daughter to make the visit to Greenwich Village 
that she had run nearly all the way from Cherry 
Street, and she was now warm and tired and 
stood for a moment at the foot of the steps to 
rest. As she waited there the big front door 
swung open and Annette looked up to see Kathy 
looking down at her. 

“ I saw you from my chamber window, 
Annette, and I ran down to open the door for 
you,” said Kathy, smiling down at her little 
visitor. 

“ Oh, Kathy,” panted Annette, still a little out 
of breath, “ I ran nearly all the way.” 

Kathy was down the steps in a moment, and 

V 

putting her arm about Annette, said: “ I’ll help 
you up the steps. But why did you run? It is 
too warm to hurry. I hope you have no ill 
news ? ” 

Annette did not reply until they had entered 


59 


OF OLD NEW. YORK 

the big cool sitting-room and were seated near 
an open window. Then she said: 

“ Kathy, I couldn’t wait, hardly, to get here. 
What is the secret? And why will your mother 
not permit you to go with me to Greenwich Vil- 
lage? Oh, Kathy! We would have such a good 
time at Grandma Vincent’s, and ’twill all be 
spoiled if you do not go. I mean to ask your 
mother to say that you may. Do you not think 
that she wdll change her mind, Kathy? ” and 
Annette looked pleadingly at her little friend. 

Kathy shook her head soberly. “ No, An- 
nette. For she bade me not to speak of it again. 
And JMother is not at home this morning. She 
has gone for the day to Bloomingdale Village. 
Can you not spend the day with me, Annette? ” 
she asked eagerly. 

But Annette was sure that she could not. 
Suddenly the little girl realized that, in creep- 
ing out of her home without asking her mother’s 
permission to visit Kathy, she had done what her 
Cousin John would call “ a sneaky trick,” and 
her face flushed uncomfortably. 

“ Oh, Kathy, I must go straight home,” she 
declared, jumping up from the comfortable chair 
near the window. 


60 


'A LITTLE MAID 

“ But you have just come. You have not 
heard my secret. Besides, Phyllis is making a 
cool drink for us flavored with crushed straw- 
berries, and here she is now,’’ said Kathy, as a 
smiling negro girl appeared in the open doorway 
carrying a silver tray holding two tall glasses 
filled with the cool drink flavored with straw- 
berries, and a plate of small frosted cakes. 

A little smile crept over Annette’s face as 
Kathy handed her one of the tall glasses, and 
she drank thirstily; then, nibbling one of the 
frosted cakes, she sank back in the chair, quite 
forgetting for the moment her resolve to hasten 
home and tell her mother of her visit to Kathy. 

Kathy sat down beside her little visitor, well 
pleased at Annette’s decision to remain, and as 
Phyllis left the room, Kathy said: “ My secret is 
a truly serious secret, Annette,” and her face 
grew sober as she looked at her friend. “ And 
perhaps I ought not even to tell you.” 

Annette set down the tall shining glass on a 
little table near by before she spoke, then she said 
slowly: ‘‘ We promised to tell each other all our 
secrets.” 

“ Yes,” agreed Kathy, “ but you see, this is 
Father’s and Mother’s secret too.” 


OF OLD NEW YORK 61 

“ I won’t tell. Wild horses couldri’t make 
me,” Annette promised. 

Kathy leaned toward her friend, and after a 
sharp look toward the door to make sure that no 
one was near, she whispered: “We are all going 
away from New York.” 

“Oh, Kathy!” exclaimed Annette, thinking 
that this was the worst news possible. 

“ Yes,” continued Kathy, still whispering, 
“ F ather says that very soon the British army 
will go, and then New York will not be safe. 
Why, Annette, already he has packed up a good 
part of his fine things in the shop. And Mother 
has packed many things in the house.” 

“ But where are you going? ” Annette asked, 
nearly ready to cry at the thought of losing 
Kathy. 

“We are going to a far-off island called Ber- 
muda, as soon as Father can find a small sailing 
vessel and a crew of trusty men to take us. And 
that is why I cannot go with you to Greenwich 
Village on Saturday. Mother did not tell me 
until yesterday,” said Kathy. 

“But why is it a secret?” questioned An- 
nette. 

Kathy shook her head. “ I am not sure, but 


62 


A LITTLE MAID 


I think Father is afraid he might not be allowed 
to go if his plan was known,” she replied. “And 
so, Annette, you must not hurry home, for it 
may be the last day you can visit me. I may 
be far away from New York when you return 
from your visit to Greenwich Village.” 

For a moment the two little friends looked at 
each other in silence, then Annette said: “Yes, 
Kathy, of course I will stay. I will stay all day 
if you want me to.” 

“Splendid! Splendid!” exclaimed Kathy, 
jumping up and smiling with delight. “ Mother 
will not be home until evening, or Father either, 
and there is no one in the house but Phyllis. We 
will have a lovely time.” 

But Annette looked at Kathy with serious 
eyes. “ Oh, Kathy, what will I do when you go 
to Bermuda? ” she said soberlv. 

But Kathy was too happy at the thought of 
having Annette as her guest for all the long June 
day to be troubled by what the future might 
bring. 

“We will not think about that,” said Kath- 
erine, “ for it will be hours and hours before you 
need start for home, Annette, and we will enjoy 
every hour. First of all, come up-stairs and see 


I 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


63 


my fine new doll that Sir Guy Carleton gave me 
only yesterday,” and taking Annette by the hand, 
Kathy started toward the stairway. 


CHAPTER V 


AN UNEXPECTED VISITOE 

‘‘ I NAMED the doll the very minute Sir Guy 
gave it to me,” Kathy said eagerly, as the two 
little friends ran up the broad stairway to Kathy’s 
chamber. “ I named her ‘Annette Carleton,’ ” 
and Kathy looked at her little visitor as if per- 
fectly sure of her delighted approval. 

“Oh, Kathy!” responded Annette, smiling 
happily; for it seemed a very wonderful thing to 
have a doll named for her. Like many other lit- 
tle girls Annette always selected the finest names 
she could possibly think of for her dolls. But 
she wished that her namesake might not have 
“ Carleton ” for her other name. Sir Guy Carle- 
ton might be a very fine British officer, and An- 
nette knew that he was in command of all the 
English troops in New York, but to the little 
American girl this was reason enough for not 
liking his name. For a moment she was tempted 
to say that Kathy must choose between changing 

the doll’s last name, or not call it “Annette.” But 

64 


A LITTLE MAID 


65 


suddenly she remembered what Kathy had told 
her: that she was going to a far-off island, that 
this might be their last day together, and An- 
nette quickly resolved that she would not do or 
say an unkind or unfriendly word for the entire 
day. So she smiled back at Kathy as her friend 
led the way to the broad window-seat where, in a 
small armchair covered with crimson silk, “ Miss 
Annette Carleton ” sat in state. 

It was the most wonderful doll that Annette 
had ever seen. It was much larger than the 
average doll ; and Kathy explained that Sir Guy 
had sent to Paris for it. 

“ Look,” said Kathy proudly, “ her arms have 
joints, just as ours have,” and she moved the 
doll’s arms and hands that Annette might see this 
marvel; and then showed Annette the doll’s fine 
wardrobe that was neatly packed in a small 
wooden trunk. There was a dress of pale yellow 
silk, with a tiny parasol to match, and little yel- 
low silk slippers ; there was a coat of white velvet 
embroidered with gold thread, and a white bonnet 
with a tiny wreath of pale blue flowers. Then 
there were little lace-bordered handkerchiefs and 
underwear. But, most wonderful of all, there 
were necklaces of beads for this favored doll to 


66 


A LITTLE MAID 

choose from. Pale amber beads, pearl beads, 
and shining blue beads. 

As Annette looked at all these treasures of her 
fortunate namesake she exclaimed in admiration 
and delight, and quite forgot for the time that 
she had run away from home to visit a Tory’s 
house, and that Kathy, her dearest friend, was 
soon to sail away to a far-off island. 

The broad window-seat was a very pleasant 
place on that warm June morning. There was a 
cool little breeze stirring among the branches of 
the trees near the open windows; and as Kathy 
carefully lifted the doll’s dainty gowns and 
Annette tried them on her English namesake it 
was no wonder that she was conscious only of 
delight. 

Sir Guy sent me word that he would come 
and call on ‘ Miss Carleton,’ so, you see, he ex- 
pected me to name the doll for him,” said Kathy, 
as if wishing to explain to Annette her reason for 
giving Annette’s namesake the name of an Eng- 
lish officer. “And of course I wanted to,” she 
added quickly. 

“ Of course,” Annette responded, remember- 
ing that, after all, the great General had been 
kind to wish to give pleasure to Kathy, 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


67 


“ Now you must see all my treasures,” declared 
Kathy. “ Oh, Annette, I have always wished and 
wished that you would spend a day with me, and 
now that you are really here it seems too good to 
be true.” 

Annette nodded happily, as she watched 
Kathy open the door of a cupboard and take out 
a small box of polished white wood. 

“ This is my work-box,” said Kathy, placing it 
in Annette’s lap. “ My Grandmother Down 
sent it to me from London.” 

The box had a lock and key of gold; as An- 
nette carefully opened it her face was reflected 
in a small oval mirror set in the cover. In the box 
was a gold thimble, a gold-mounted ivory bodkin, 
and an emery-ball shaped like a strawberry. 
There were spools of cotton and silk thread, and 
three pairs of scissors; and, carefully wrapped in 
a square of white silk, was a beaded purse that 
Kathy had begun. 

“ This is the pattern,” said Kathy, showing 
Annette a square of paper on which was stamped 
a red rose with green leaves. 

“ The rose is to be all of shaded red beads, and 
the leaves of shaded green beads,” Kathy ex- 
plained, ‘‘ and on the other side is to be the 


68 A LITTLE MAID 

initial of the name of the person I am making it 
for.” 

Annette did not ask for whom the purse was 
intended, but she felt quite sure that it must be 
for Sir Guy. 

“ Do you not want to work one of the tiny 
leaves, Annette? ” questioned Kathy. “ I will 
show you just the beads to select.” But An- 
nette shook her head. 

■ “No, Kathy,” she said soberly, thinking to 
herself that to set a stitch for an enemy of 
America would be disloyal. 

The morning hours passed very quickly, and 
when a bell rang in the lower hall and Kathy 
exclaimed: “Why, that is the bell for dinner!” 
Annette could hardly believe it possible. 

At the sound of the bell Kathy sprang up and 
clasping Annette’s hand said: “Just think, An- 
nette, this is the first time you have ever spent 
the day with me. And we are to have dinner all 
by ourselves. I do hope Phyllis has everything 
you like best; ” and smiling happily the two little 
friends ran down-stairs to the big dining-room, 
where Phyllis had spread a round table for their 
dinner near the open windows. 

For a moment Annette looked at the table 


OF OLD NEW YORK G9 

vvonderingly. It seemed to the little girl to 
be covered with a silvery light. The damask 
table-cloth shone, the lustre plates and cups re- 
flected the light from the windows, and the cov- 
ered dishes of silver shone clearly. In the centre 
of the table was a crystal dish filled with white 
roses. It was no wonder that Annette thought 
she had never before seen so lovely a table. 

“ Oh, Kathy ! It is beautiful ! ” she exclaimed, 
as she took her seat opposite her young hostess. 

Ph3dlis smiled delightedly. She had tried her 
best to please her j^oung mistress. “ Yo’ jes’ 
wait ’til vo’ tastes de fine duck I’se cooked for 
3^0’,” she said, lifting the cover of one of the 
silver dishes ; ‘‘ an’ dar is creamed pertaters, 
Missie Kathy; an’ some fine lettis, 3^as’m; an’ 
some little green peas. An’ jes’ look at dis jell3^ 
an’ bar’s some hot biscuit. Yas’rn,” and Phvllis 
served the delicious food, with approving nods 
and smiles as Kathy and Annette both declared 
that it was a beautiful dinner. 

“An’ yo’ jes’ waits ’til yo’ sees de cherry pie 
dat’s a-comin’,” said the delighted negress as she 
turned toward the kitchen. 

“ Oh, I meant to bring ‘Annette Carleton ’ 
down to dinner! ” Katlw exclaimed. “ I will run 


70 A LITTLE MAID 

up-stairs and fetch her, if you will excuse me, 
Annette? 

“ Yes, indeed,” was the quick response, and in 
a moment Kathy was back with the new doll, 
which she seated at the side of the table. 

It was a merry dinner for the two little friends, 
and after Phyllis had brought in the cherry pie 
she returned to the kitchen well pleased with 
the result of her efforts to please “ Missie 
Kathy.” 

“ De pore chile don’ hah no playmates in dis 
town, an’ I’se right glad dat dis yere li’F Vincen’ 
gal is a visit’n’ her,” thought Phyllis, who had 
often been hurt and angry at the snubs and un- 
friendliness that Katherine had experienced from 
the American children, many of whom thought it 
a fine thing to be rude and uncivil to Kathy be- 
cause her father was known to be a Tory, and 
friendly with the British officers. Annette alone 
among Kathy’s acquaintances had openly de- 
fended Kathy, and declared that the little girl 
was not to be blamed for her father’s opinions. 
And it was this very thought that had sent An- 
nette hurrying to her friend without waiting to 
ask permission. 

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OF OLD NEW YORK 


71 


when a loud rapping at the front door made them 
look questioningly at each other. “ I wonder who 
it can be,” said Kathy in low tones, as she heard 
Phyllis hurrying through the hall. A moment 
later the colored girl appeared in the doorway. 
Phyllis’s eyes were round and she was evidently 
greatly impressed by the importance of the visitor 
whom she had to announce. 

‘‘ Massa Lord Sir Guy Carleton has arrived in 
de drawer-in’-room, Missie Kathy. An’ he says 
he w’ud be please ter see yo’.” 

“ Oh! Is he not kind to really ask for me? ” 
exclaimed Kathy, smiling with delight, as if a 
visit from Sir Guy was the most wonderful thing 
that could happen, and jumping up from her 
chair, ready to start to welcome her visitor. 

Annette had also sprung to her feet, but she 
was not smiling. There was a flush on her 
cheeks, and she looked at Kathy pleadingly. 

“ You won’t see him, will you, Kathy? ” she 
urged. “ I would do anything you asked me to, 
this last day,” she added. Before either of the 
girls could say another word a pleasant voice 
sounded from the open door, and Annette looked 
up to see a tall man in a fine scarlet coat, em- 
broidered waistcoat and powdered wig smiling 


72 


A LITTLE MAID 


graciously at the two surprised little girls, and 
heard him say : 

“ Pardon me, Miss Katherine, for interrupting 
you when you have company,” and Sir Guy 
bowed to Annette, “ but I was passing and could 
not refrain from calling to ask after Miss Carle- 
ton, who, I am pleased to see, is lunching with 
you,” and Sir Guy bowed to the doll as if she 
were really a fine lady. 

“ Thank j^ou very much. Sir Guy. I am hon- 
ored by your visit,” responded Kathy, making 
her best curtsey. “And this is my friend, An- 
nette Vincent,” she continued. 

“ I am happy to meet Miss Annette Vincent,” 
said Sir Guy, smiling at the solemn, dark-eyed 
little girl who made no response but turned and 
ran from the room. 

For a moment Kathy was tempted to run after 
her. She felt hurt and shamed by Annette’s be- 
havior, and almost sorry that Sir Guy had ap- 
peared. 

But the English General did not seem to notice 
Annette’s departure. His glance had turned to 
the table and he was looking at the half of the 
cherry pie with approving eyes. 

“ Will you not taste of the cherry pie, Sir 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


73 


Guy?” Kathy asked eagerly. “It is one of 
Phjdlis’s best.” 

“ Thank you, my dear. I will indeed,” he re- 
plied, laying his cocked hat and gold-mounted 
whip on a side table and smilingly seating himself 
beside “ Miss Carleton ” while Phyllis hastened 
to provide him with napkin, knife and fork, and 
to help him to a generous piece of the cherry 
pie. 

“ Jes’ a minit, Massa Lord Sir Guy, an’ I’ll 
fetch yo’ a fine cup ob coffee,” said Phyllis, hur- 
rying off to the kitchen, to reappear before Sir 
Guy had finished the pastry with a steaming cup 
that the General declared excellent. 

“ I am indeed sorrv that mv mother is not at 
home,” said Kathy, as Sir Guy rose from the 
table declaring that he had never tasted a better 
pie. 

“ I will do myself the pleasure of calling 
again,” responded the visitor; and even Betty 
Mason could not have felt more a grown-up 
young lady than did Kathy as she made her 
prettiest curtsey, and thanked the General for 
the honor of his visit, for she had been carefully 
taught the rules of good manners. 

“ I hope your little friend will pardon me for 


74 


A LITTLE MAID 


frightening her away,” said Sir Guy, as Kathy 
walked beside him to the front door. 

At the door there was another ceremonious 
leave-taking, and Kathy, curtseying and smiling, 
stood in the doorway as Sir Guy mounted his 
fine black horse and rode off toward Broadway. 
The moment he was out of sight she ran back to 
the dining-room calling: “Annette! Annette!” 
but there was no response. Kathy hurried to the 
kitchen, but Phyllis had not seen the little girl. 

“ She must be up-stairs,” Kathy decided, and 
hurried to her chamber, but Annette was not 
there. 

“ We must find her, Phyllis. You see, An- 
nette thinks Sir Guy is an enemy to America, 
and so she would not speak to him, and ran out 
of the room,” Kathy explained to the puzzled 
servant. 

“My Ian’ I Dat’s poor manners, Missie 
Kathy! ’Twan’ no way fer a white lady to act,” 
and grumbling over Annette’s rudeness toward 
Sir Guy Carleton, Phyllis followed her young 
mistress from room to room until at last Kathy 
was willing to acknoAvledge that Annette was 
not in the house. 

“ She put off fer home, Missie, dat’s w’at she 


75 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

did,” said Phyllis, and Kath}^ concluded Phyllis 
must be right, although Annette’s hat was in 
Kathy’s room. 

It was a disappointing end to the visit that 
Kathy had hoped would be one of delight. She 
owned to herself that she wished Sir Guy Carle- 
ton had postponed his visit. 

“ Perhaps I will never see Annette again,” she 
thought unhappily, as she lifted “ Miss Annette 
Carleton ” from her seat at the table and carried 
her up-stairs. 

Phyllis went back to the kitchen. “ I reckon 
dar’s a tempes’ cornin’,” she thought, as the 
branches of the elm tree near the kitchen windows 
swayed back and forth. 

“An’ dar ain’ a breef of wind neither,” she 
added, as she stepped to the door and looked out. 
“ Lan’ ! I hope dar ain’ no wile an’mal a-crouchin’ 
in dat air tree,” and Phyllis peered up anxiously 
into the branches that now only swayed quietly, 
and then turned back to her work thinking of 
the fine General’s compliment to her cherry pie, 
and quite forgetting all about Annette, who at 
that very moment was crouching among the leafy 
branches of the big elm, wondering how she could 
escape from her uncomfortable perch without 
being discovered. 


CHAPTEK VI 


ANNETTE STARTS FOR HOME 

It was nearly noon before Mrs. Vincent dis- 
covered that her little daughter was missing. 
Annette often played about the garden for hours 
at a time, and as no one had seen the little girl 
enter or leave the house her mother believed her 
to be happily occupied under the big oak tree 
near the river, and just before the midday meal 
was served she walked down the box-bordered 
path to tell Annette that it was time to come in. 

Mrs. Vincent did not feel at all anxious when 
she did not find Annette in the garden. “ She 
has run up to her room to smooth her hair and 
make ready for dinner,” she concluded, and on 
returning to the house called her little daughter’s 
name, quite sure that Annette would come run- 
ning into the dining-room. So she took her own 
seat at the table, and when Annette did not ap- 
pear Lottie was sent to call her. 

“ Where can the child be? ” she exclaimed, 
when Lottie declared that Annette was not in the 

76 


A LITTLE MAID 


77 


house or garden. So at the very time when 
Kathy and Phyllis were searching for the missing 
visitor, Annette’s mother and Lottie were anx- 
iously looking for some trace of her in the Cherry 
Street house and garden. 

“ I wonder if John has taken Annette for a 
sail? ” thought Mrs. Vincent, as she stood looking 
out on the quiet river. She finally decided that 
this was the explanation of the little girl’s ab- 
sence. 

“ Probably John intended to bring her back 
before dinner-time, but did not have a fair wind,” 
she said to Lottie on returning to the house; “ but 
Annette should not have gone without asking 
permission.” 

Lottie agreed that the little girl was doubtless 
on the Fleetwing, and would soon come run- 
ning up the garden path eager for her dinner. 
“ I’ll jes’ save dat col’ custard an’ some ob dem 
slices ob chicken fer her,” decided the good- 
natured colored girl, as she cleared away the din- 
ner table, and for a time neither Mrs. Vincent 
nor Lottie was disturbed by Annette’s disap- 
pearance. But when the clock struck four and 
there was no sign of the little girl Mrs. Vincent 
became anxious, and sent Lottie to the house of 


78 


A LITTLE MAID 


Delia Davidson to ask if Delia had seen the miss- 
ing girl; and when Mr. Vincent returned home at 
five o’clock from his office on Broad Street and 
was told that Annette had not been seen since 
early morning, he was seriously alarmed. 

“John would not take Annette for a day’s ex- 
cursion without our knowledge,” he declared, 
“ and beside that fact, the lad was in my office 
not an hour ago, and said nothing of having been 
in his boat. No; Annette must have left the 
house without permission. Perhaps Lottie will 
find her with Delia and bring her home.” 

But Lottie returned saying that Delia had not 
seen Annette. 

“ I reckon she gone to see de li’l’ Tory gal dat 
she like so much,” suggested Lottie. 

“ But I have never given her permission to go 
to Mr. Down’s house,” said Mrs. Vincent. 
“ Kathy sometimes comes here, and is a well- 
behaved child, but I have never allowed Annette 
to return her visits.” 

“ Yas’m, an’ mebbe dat’s why Missie Annette 
staht off widout askin’,” suggested Lottie, as she 
went back to the kitchen. 

“ I had better go to Nassau Street and in- 
quire,” said Mr. Vincent, “ although I like not 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


79 


to be seen on the Tory’s porch. ’Tis said he 
means soon to take all his fine goods from the 
city.” 

‘‘ I think Lottie may be right,” said Mrs. Vin- 
cent. “Annette, this very morning, received a 
note from Kathy.” 

At hearing this Mr. Vincent hesitated no 
longer, but hurried off to the fine Down mansion 
on Nassau Street, where he arrived just in time 
to encounter the British Adjutant-General De 
Lancey leaving the house in company with Mr. 
Down. 

Mr. Down said that Annette was not there. 
“ My little daughter is alone in the house with 
only the colored servant to keep her company, as 
her mother has not returned from a day’s visit,” 
he replied in response to Mr. Vincent’s inquiries. 
Kathy had not mentioned Annette’s visit and 
sudden flight to her father, so Mr. Down had no 
knowledge that the little girl had been in his home 
that day; and Mr. Vincent turned away more 
anxious than ever. He began to fear that An- 
nette might have fallen into the river at the foot 
of the garden. 

In the meantime the missing girl had been 
having a very uncomfortable afternoon. When 


80 


A LITTLE MAID 

she ran from the dining-room to avoid speaking 
to Sir Guy Carleton Annette had meant only to 
keep out of the way until Kathy’s visitor had 
left the house. She ran through the kitchen to 
the narrow garden space behind the house, 
and looked about for a hiding-place. A low- 
growing branch of the big elm came within 
reach of the porch steps and Aimette found she 
could easily reach it and draw herself up among 
the thickly growing leaves, and in a moment she 
had climbed to a perch* on the strong branch 
where, by clasping another limb of the tree, she 
was well concealed. 

“ I won’t have to stay here but a few minutes 

4/ 

before the fine General will ride away,” she 
thought, knowing that she would hear the sound 
of his horse’s hoofs on the cobblestones. 

But Annette had forgotten Phyllis, who, re- 
turning to the kitchen before the General’s de- 
parture, came out on the porch just as the little 
girl had decided it was safe for her to descend; 
and Annette did not want the colored servant to 
see her scrambling down, like a frightened squir- 
rel, from her hiding-place; and when Kathy and 
Phyllis began to search for her and call her name 
Annette began to wish that she had not run from 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


81 


the dining-room, and to realize that she had be- 
haved in a rude and unseemly manner, and this 
made her ashamed to face Kathy. 

“ I will wait until they stop trying to find me, 
and then I will go home,” Annette decided. 

It soon became a difficult matter for her to 
keep her perch on the limb of the tree, and she 
decided to climb a little higher where she could sit 
on a limb with her back against the trunk of the 
tree, and it was this scrambling among the 
branches that had alarmed Phyllis when she 
stepped out on the porch. 

Annette found the new place much more com- 
fortable. She was now on the level of the win- 
dows of Katherine’s chamber, and by pushing a 
bough of the tree a little to one side she could look 
in and see her hat lying on the bed, and “ Miss 
Annette Carleton ” again established in the silk- 
covered armchair. 

It seemed a long time to Annette before Kathy 
and Phyllis gave up searching for her. Then she 
heard the sound of arriving visitors, and looking 
down saw that Phyllis had established herself in 
a rocking-chair on the porch where a negro girl 
from a neighboring house soon joined her, and 
Phyllis promptly began to describe the strange 


82 


A LITTLE MAID 

behavior of ‘‘ dat li’l’ ’Merican gal w’at was 
a-visitin’ my li’l’ Missie Kathy/’ 

Annette could feel her face flush angrily as she 
heard Phyllis declare: “ Dat Vincen’ gal act like 
she nebber been taught no manners, Sukey ! W’y, 
she nebber so much as look at Lord Sir Guy ; an’ 
she rush out ob de dinin’ -room like she was a 
sabage! Lan’! Dar sho’ am sum animal 
a-lurkin’ in dat tree ! ” concluded Phyllis, looking 
anxiously up as Annette moved about on the 
swaying bough. 

It was no wonder, after hearing this account of 
her behavior, that Annette had no wish to be dis- 
covered by any member of the Down household. 
She was sure that Kathy’s mother and father had 
returned home and that Kathy had told them of 
Annette’s rudeness. As she thought it over the 
little girl realized that it had not been fair to 
Kathy to treat Kathy’s visitor in such a manner. 

“ Sir Guy will only think all little American 
girls ill-mannered, and probably Kathy will 
never want to see me again,” thought the un- 
happy child, who now wished with all her heart 
that she had not run away from home that morn- 
ing. 

Phyllis and her friend did not move from the 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


83 


porch until late in the afternoon, and even then 
Phyllis was busy near the kitchen windows so 
that Annette realized she must think of some 
other way of escaping from her leafy prison. 

“ I believe I could get into Kathy’s room,” she 
thought, noticing that the stout branch of the big 
tree touched the house. 

The more Annette thought of this way of 
escape the more possible it seemed. If she could 
reach Kathy’s room she could put on her hat, and 
then perhaps creep down the stairs and reach the 
street without being seen; and she resolved to 
make the attempt. 

It was a perilous adventure, for she must walk 
along the swaying bough for several feet without 
anything to hold for support, and a single mis- 
step or lack of balance would cause her to fall 
crashing down into the yard below. 

But Annette was not conscious of any fear as 
she rose carefully to her feet. Her whole mind 
was fixed on reaching Kathy’s chamber; and she 
stepped out cautiously, balancing herself so care- 
fully that the limb of the tree 
her hands clasped the sill of the window when, for 
a brief moment, she swung clear of the tree. But 
she had a secure hold and was able to pull herself 


hardly moved until 


84 


A LITTLE MAID 

over the window-sill on to the broad seat where 
for a few moments she lay motionless, half ex- 
pecting to hear Kathy exclaim or cry out at her 
appearance. But as she sat up and looked about 
the room there was no sign of Kathy, and in a 
moment Annette had tiptoed across the room 
and tried on her straw hat. She then peered out 
into the shadowy upper hall. There was no one 
to be seen, and no sound of voices or steps; so 
Annette ventured out and went softly down the 
stairs and through the open door and reached 
Nassau Street where little groups of people were 
moving along the sidewalks. 

She began to feel very tired, and could not race 
along toward home as she wished to do. It was 
the beginning of the long June twilight, and the 
streets were already shadowed by the approach- 
ing darkness. As the little girl walked slowly 
along St. George’s Square she heard the steady 
ring of a bell, and saw a man approaching who 
called out: 

“ Child lost! Little girl missing! Brown 
eyes, and brown hair. Ten years old! Child 
lost!” 

After every word the man rang the bell as 
loudly as possible. He passed close to Annette, 


OF OLD NEW YORK 85 

who stood for a moment looking after him with 
puzzled eyes. 

“ I do believe it’s I ! ” she whispered to herself, 
and resolved to quicken her pace and reach home 
as soon as possible; at that very moment she felt 
a firm clasp on her arm and looked up to find her 
Cousin John standing beside her. 


CHAPTER VII 


A PEACE TREATY 

“ I WAS just going home, John! Is it I that’s 
lost? ” asked Annette, as John, still holding his 
cousin firmly by the hand, hurried her along the 
street, stopping to call the Crier and tell him that 
the lost girl had been discovered. 

The cousins had turned into Cherry Street be- 
fore John spoke to the little girl. 

“ Where have you been? ” he asked sharply. 

“ I have been to Kathy Down’s, and Sir Guy 

Carleton came, and ” Annette would have 

told the whole story of flying from the Downs’ 
dining-room without speaking to the British Gen- 
eral, and of climbing the tree, but John inter- 
rupted her angrily: 

“ Visiting a Tory, and talking with the enemies 
of your country, and thinking nothing of anyone 
but yourself,” he said. “ Your mother feared you 
must have fallen into the river, and is sadly anx- 
ious about you. And your father and neighbors 

are searching the town for you,” and John gave 

86 


A LITTLE MAID 


87 


his cousin’s arm an impatient shake as if to ex- 
press his disapproval. 

Annette was too tired and unhappy to defend 
herself. The day with Kathy, that the little 
friends had expected to be full of delight, a day 
that they would always joyfully remember, had 
been a most wretched disappointment. It was 
difficult for Annette to keep back the tears, and 
when her mother came running down the street to 
meet them and John let go his clasp on her arm 
Annette fled toward her mother and sobbed out; 
“ Mother! Mother! I didn’t mean to run away,” 
at which John exclaimed: 

“A likely story,” and turned away to find An- 
nette’s father and tell him that the little girl was 
safe at home. 

Mrs. Vincent led the tired little girl indoors, 
bathed the tear-stained face, and told Lottie to 
bring a tray with Annette’s supper to her cham- 
ber, and there in the fragrant June twilight by the 
open window, with her mother’s arm about her, 
Annette told the story of the day. 

“ Nobody is fair to Kathy, Mother,” she 
pleaded. “ That is why I started off to see her. 
None of the girls go to see her, and she never, 
never, says a disloyal word about America; but 


88 


A LITTLE MAID 

all the grown-ups think she is a Tory. And, 
Mother, when you seemed pleased that she could 
not go with me to Greenwich Village, it did seem 
as if I must see Kathy.” 

“ I wish you had told me, dear, instead of run- 
ning off without a word ; I would have sent Lottie 
to ask Kathy to come and see you,” responded 
Mrs. Vincent. 

“ But, Mother, Kathy could not come. You 
see, she has been here several times, and now her 
mother will not permit her to come unless I visit 
Kathy. Oh, Mother, I had to go,” Annette de- 
clared earnestly, and went on to tell of the doll, 
and of the visit of the British General, her own 
rude behavior, and the long hours in the elm 
tree. But she did not betray Kathy’s secret of 
the speedy departure of the Downs from New 
York. 

“ Oh ! My dear girl, I am indeed to blame 
that you should do such a thing,” exclaimed Mrs. 
Vincent, as Annette told of running from the 
dining-room. 

“ You, Mother! You! Why, you would not 
be rude to anyone; not even to the King of Eng- 
land, who sent the soldiers here,” declared An- 
nette. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


89 


“ Then how is it that my own little daughter 
could forget that she was a guest, and that the 
first duty of a guest is to think of her hostess’s 
feelings, and to treat other visitors with cour- 
tesy? Surely I am to blame,” Mrs. Vincent 
insisted; for she never punished Annette, know- 
ing that a wrong act surely brings its own punish- 
ment ; but this was always carefully explained to 
the little girl. 

“ No, Mother! I did know better than to be 
rude, but I did not stop to think,” said Annette. 

Before Annette went to sleep that night she 
had made a firm resolve; she would, with her 
mother’s permission, go to Kathy’s home the 
next morning and ask Kathy to pardon her im- 
politeness; besides this she would do something 
much more difficult: she would call on Sir Guy 
Carleton himself and beg his pardon for her dis- 
courtesy. Comforted by this resolve Annette 
slept soundly and awoke next morning hoping her 
mother would give her consent for her to go to 
Mr. Down’s at an early hour. 

“ Yes, my dear. I was sure you would wish 
to ask Kathy’s pardon, and Lottie can go with 
you to Mr. Down’s door. Ask to see Kathy, tell 
her why you have come, and then come straight 


90 


A LITTLE MAID 


home,” said Mrs. Vincent, in response to An- 
nette’s request. 

“ But I want to ask pardon of Sir Guy,” 
Annette continued. “ Phyllis said the General 
would think all little American girls were ill-man- 
nered, but if I tell him I am sorry perhaps he will 
not think that.” 

For a moment Mrs. Vincent was silent. Amer- 
icans living in New York during the British oc- 
cupation had been badly treated, and to permit 
her little girl to go to the house of Sir Guy to ask 
his pardon was not an easy decision for Mrs. Vin- 
cent to reach, nevertheless she realized that it 
would be a lesson Annette would never forget, 
and she replied that Sir Guy was sure to think 
more highly of all little American girls if Annette 
owned her fault. 

“And you shall wear your checked silk dress, 
and your blue hat, and carry the fine white par- 
asol that Grandmother Vincent gave you,” said 
Mrs. Vincent; “ and be sure and make your best 
curtsey to the British General, that he may know 
little American girls can be well-mannered.” 

“ Indeed I will, Mother,” responded the little 
girl, beginning to think her errand might not be 
so difficult after all. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


91 


It was nine o’clock when Annette and Lottie 
set forth for Nassau Street. Lottie wore a 
freshly starched dress of brown cotton, and with 
her big white apron and carefully twisted blue 
turban she felt herself quite ready to face the 
fine servants of the Tory houses, and she smiled 
delightedly as they started down Cherry Street, 
well pleased with her morning’s duty of escorting 
her young mistress. 

But Annette’s face was very serious. Not 
even the pretty white parasol or wearing her silk 
mitts and best dress could make the little girl 
entirely forget that she must face Sir Guy Carle- 
ton and ask him to pardon her for her rude be- 
havior. Now and then she sighed deeply, at 
which Lottie would look anxiously down at the 
little figure beside her and wonder if her little 
mistress was ill. 

As they approached the Down house the big 
front door opened and Mrs. Down stepped out, 
followed by Kathy, and for a moment Annette 
hesitated. She had said to herself that she would 
not mind telling Kathy that she was sorry for 
running out of the dining-room, but to say it 
before Kathy’s mother was a very different and 
much more difficult undertaking. 


92 


A LITTLE MAID 

“ Oh, Annette! I am so glad to see you. Why 
did you run away yesterday? ” exclaimed Kathy, 
hurrying to meet her friend and looking admir- 
ingly at Annette’s fine apparel. Mrs. Down 
also greeted the little girl cordially, as Annette 
curtseyed deeply. 

“ If you please, I must not come in,” she said 
in response to Kathy’s invitation. ‘‘ I came to 
tell you, Kathy, that I am indeed sorry for my 
behavior yesterday, and to ask you to pardon 
me.” Annette did not raise her eyes as she spoke ; 
her face flushed and her voice trembled. She 
thought to herself that in the future she would 
never, never forget to be polite, no matter what 
might happen, but she had hardly finished her 
plea when Katherine’s arms were about her neck 
and she heard Kathy say; 

“ Oh, Annette, I did not mind for myself. It 
was only because Sir Guy is so kind to me.” 

“ What is all this? ” inquired Mrs. Down, be- 
coming puzzled at the mention of the name of the 
British General, and Annette realized that 
Kathy had not told her mother of her friend’s 
sudden disappearance. 

“If you please, Mrs. Down, I ran out of the 
dining-room yesterday when Sir Guy came in,” 


OF OLD NEW YORK 93 

said Annette, “ and I came this morning to ask 
Kathy’s pardon.” 

“ I should think so, indeed,” declared Mrs. 
Down, looking at Annette with evident disap- 
proval. “ Come, Katherine, we will not detain 
your visitor any longer,” and taking Kathy by 
the hand she drew her away from Annette and 
started toward the street. 

“ Good-bye, dear Annette,” Kathy called 
back, but Annette made no response. 

‘‘ Don’ yo’ min’, Missie,” comforted Lottie. 
“ Dey ain^ no ’count. I hears dat Governor 
Clinton an’ Massa Washington are gwine ter 
drive dese Tories right outer New Yo’k mos’ 
any time now. Don’ yo’ min’ ’em, honey.” 

But Annette was not listening to the good- 
natured darkey’s words. If Mrs. Down thought 
her rudeness so unforgivable, what would the 
British General say to her? For a moment An- 
nette was tempted to go home without even try- 
ing to see Sir Guy. 

“Oh, dear!” she exclaimed aloud, and stood 
looking after Kathy, then a little smile crept over 
her face; she was thinking to herself that Kathy 
was sure to hear of her visit to Sir Guy, and that 
after hearing it she would be sure to believe that 


94 


A LITTLE MAID 


Annette was really sorry. “ Kathy always un- 
derstands,” thought the little girl as she and 
Lottie turned into Wall Street, where they met 
a number of British officers out for a morning 
stroll. 

“ My Ian’, Missie Kathy, be yo’ a-callin’ on 
de General hisse’f ? ” asked the delighted Lottie 
as Annette stopped in front of the fine man- 
sion occupied by Sir Guy Carleton. The lit- 
tle girl did not have time to reply before a tall 
soldier, standing at the entrance, asked her 
errand. 

“ If you please, I am Miss Annette Vincent, 
and I wish to see Sir Guy Carleton,” Annette 
responded, her voice trembling a little. 

The soldier smiled down at the General’s little 
visitor as he replied: 

“ Will Miss Vincent kindly step into the re- 
ception-room while I inform Sir Guy? ” and An- 
nette followed him into a large room at the right 
of the front door, and seated herself on the edge 
of a chair facing the door. Lottie waited in the 
hall, now and then peering into the reception- 
room to make sure that her young mistress was 
quite safe. 

It seemed a long time to Annette before the 


OF OLD NEW YORK 95 

tall soldier returned and said that she was to 
follow him up the broad staircase. 

Lottie started to follow them, but the soldier 
waved her back. “ Your young mistress will be 
back in a brief time,” he said. 

“ Miss Annette Vincent, to call on Sir Guy,” 
said the soldier to a servant in fine livery, who 
stood at the top of the staircase, and who quickly 
opened a door behind him, saying, “ Miss An- 
nette Vincent.” The door closed behind her, 
and Annette found herself facing the Brit- 
ish General, who rose from his desk at the fur- 
ther end of the long room and bowed to his 
visitor. 

Annette curtseyed low, then advanced a few 
steps and curtseyed again. 

Sir Guy smiled approvingly at the brown-eyed 
little girl in her dainty summer dress. He did 
not recognize this attractive little lady as the 
rude girl who had fled yesterday at his entrance 
to the Downs’ dining-room. 

For a moment Annette was sure that she was 
not going to be able to speak. All the long way 
from Cherry Street she had repeated over and 
over to herself just what she would say to Sir 
Guy Carleton, and now she felt choked and as if 


96 


A LITTLE MAID 


she had no voice. It was evident that Sir Guy 
was puzzled as he said politely : 

“ Will you not sit down, and perhaps there is 
some favor you wish to ask of me? ’’ 

“ If you please, sir, I am Kathy Down’s 
friend, and I ran from the dining-room when you 
came to see her yesterday,” faltered the little 
girl. 

“Ah-h! Yes. You are, I suppose, one of the 
little rebels of New York,” replied Sir Guy, his 
smile disappearing as he spoke. 

“ I have come to ask you to pardon my rude- 
ness, Sir Guy. I am sure no other little Amer- 
ican girl would behave in so ill-mannered a 
fashion as I did yesterday,” continued Annette 
earnestly, regaining her courage and looking 
up at the tall General as if pleading for 
his good opinion of the manners of American 
children. 

‘‘ Perhaps you are not a rebel after all,” re- 
sponded Sir Guy. “Miss Kathy is the daughter 
of a faithful Loyalist, and if you are her friend, 
why you must be my friend also, and I am quite 
sure you meant no rudeness in running away 
from me yesterday. I am rather glad you did, 
since it has brought you to see me this morning,” 


OF OLD NEW YORK 97 

and Sir Guy made a very fine bow to his little 
visitor. 

“ Thank you, sir,” said Annette. ‘‘ But, if 
you please, I am a little American girl.” 

“ Well, we will shake hands. Miss America, 
for after this, you know, England and America 
are to be friends. Very soon my soldiers will 
return to their homes, and I to mine. I would 
like to leave one friend behind me. Will not you 
be that friend? ” and Sir Guy looked kindly 
down at the sober-faced little girl who stood be- 
fore him. 

Annette looked up questioningly. How kind 
and honest this Englishman seemed, she thought 
wonderingly. 

“ You will not fight against America’s rights 
again, will you? ” she questioned eagerly. 

“ Not if I can help it,” he answered. 

Then I will always be your friend,” Annette 
declared, and the great British commander and 
the little American girl clasped hands as if they 
were forever settling the friendship between 
England and America. 


CHAPTER VIII 


A HAPPY MEETING 

Annette was very quiet all the way home that 
morning, but she was much happier than when 
she had run through the same streets the previous 
day on her runaway visit to Kathy Down. She 
was eager to reach home and tell her mother of 
Sir Guy’s promise not to again fight against 
America’s rights, unless compelled to do so, and 
she ran into the Cherry Street house calling 
“ Mother! Mother! ” and did not stop to take off 
her best hat or lay aside the pretty white parasol 
before beginning her story. 

Mrs. Vincent had been at work in the garden, 
and came up on the cool porch to listen to her 
little daughter’s description of meeting Kathy 
and Mrs. Down, and of her visit to the British 
General. 

“ Sir Guy was pleased to see me, truly he was. 

Mother, dear; and he asked me to be his friend, 

98 


A LITTLE MAID 


99 


and I promised. Mother, what are America’s 
‘ rights ’ ? I know that is what the war was 
about, but when I asked Sir Guy to promise not 
to fight against our ‘ rights ’ again, why, all at 
once I realized I did not know what America’s 
rights are. I thought about it all the way home,” 
and Ajinette looked at her mother questioningly. 

“Why, my dear child! Have you not often 
heard your father read America’s ‘ Declaration of 
Independence’? We must ask him to read it 
this evening. Ajud very soon, I am sure, you 
will hear General Washington himself read it 
here in New York.” 

But Annette was still looking at her mother as 
if waiting for an answer, and with a little laugh 
Mrs. Vincent continued: “Well, Annette, the 
war of the American Revolution was fought be- 
cause the rulers of England taxed us unfairly for 
their own profit, without caring for the hardships 
such taxation inflicted on Americans; without 
permitting us even to help make the laws under 
which we must live. Do you understand, dear? ” 

Annette nodded thoughtfully. “ I guess so,” 
she responded, a little doubtfully. “ They 
wanted to tell us what we must do, whether it 
was right or not.” 


> 

) ) 

) ) > 


> 




100 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Exactly, and because they were selfish and 
unfair they failed, and now Americans have 
established their own government, and this has 
become a free country, governed by its own citi- 
zens, and Sir Guy Carleton and all his soldiers 
must leave this city,” said Mrs. Vincent. “ Now, 
my dear, run up-stairs and put your parasol and 
mitts carefully away, change your dress and help 
me shell peas for dinner,” and Annette hastened 
to obey. 

As she slipped on her simple gingham dress 
she remembered that she was to go to Greenwich 
Village the next day, and wished that Kathy 
might go also, and this reminded her of Kathy’s 
secret. 

‘‘ Oh, what will I do when Kathy has really 
left New York and I can never see her again? ” 
she thought sadly, as she went slowly down the 
stairs to the back porch. 

‘After dinner we must pack the things you 
will need for your visit to Grandma’s,” said Mrs. 
Vincent. “ Your father plans to drive you over 
early in the morning before the heat of the day. 
Do you not want to ask Delia or Betty to go with 
you? ” 

Annette shook her head. “ No, if Kathy can- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


101 


not go I do not want anyone/’ she deelared, with 
such a sober face that Mrs. Yincent felt 
troubled. 

“ Your Grandmother Vincent thought you 
would enjoy your visit more if you had a friend 
with you. You know there are no children near 
for you to play with/’ she said. 

But Annette made no reply. She thought to 
herself that her mother did not seem to realize 
that she was nearly eleven years old, and that she 
and Grandma were good friends and companions. 
Besides, thought Annette, there was Kathy’s 
secret to think over. 

“ Oh, dear! I wish ” she exclaimed sud- 

denly, and then looked up, half frightened as she 
realized that she had been about to say that she 
wished Kathy Down was not going to Bermuda ! 
But apparently her mother had not noticed her 
exclamation, and nothing more was said in regard 
to the visit to Greenwich Village. But all that 
afternoon Annette could think only of Kathy; 
that perhaps she might never again see the play- 
mate she liked so well. For had not Kathy said 
that they might sail for that far-off island before 
Annette returned from her visit to Grandma 
Vincent? Annette wandered about the garden 


102 


A LITTLE MAID 

and up to her own chamber, then to the porch 
where her mother was busy sewing, until her 
mother began to wonder at her little daughter’s 
uneasiness. 

“Annette, where is your sewing? Did I not 
set you a stint early in the week? You were to 
finish the aprons for Lottie, and I have not yet 
, seen you set a stitch,” she said. 

“ Oh, Mother, so much has happened,” An- 
nette replied. “ May I not take the aprons with 
me and finish them at Grandma’s? I shall like 
to sit with her and sew.” 

Mrs. Vincent agreed to this suggestion, for 
she realized that it had been an eventful week for 
the little girl. Annette went to bed early, and 
was awake in good season the next morning. 
Robins and song-sparrows were singing in the 
tall elms, or fluttering down to the garden for 
their morning rations; Lottie was singing about 
her work in the kitchen, and a cool little breeze 
came up from the river. The sorrel horse was 
harnessed to the comfortable chaise and stood 
waiting for its passengers as Annette finished 
her breakfast and came running to the front 
porch to watch her father stow the small leather 
trunk that held her pretty summer dresses under 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


103 


the broad seat of the chaise. Then Mrs. Vincent 
kissed the little girl good-bye, her father lifted 
her into the chaise and they drove off, stopping 
at the street corner to turn and wave to Annette’s 
mother, who stood on the steps looking after 
them. 

For the time Annette had forgotten about 
Kathy’s departure. The morning was cool and 
pleasant, she was wearing her white muslin dress 
and her open-work stockings; the sorrel horse 
trotted along at a good pace; her father was 
singing John’s favorite song: “ Bright Casta- 
bella,” and Annette could think only of the pleas- 
ant ride to Greenwich Village, and how glad 
Grandma would be to see them. 

The road to Greenwich was a popular drive 
for the British officers, and early though it was, 
Annette and her father soon met a party of red- 
coats on horseback galloj)ing back to town after 
a morning ride. 

Annette leaned from the chaise to watch them 
dash past, and instantly one of the party drew 
rein, lifted his hat in salute to the little girl and 
was out of sight in an instant. 

“ Father! Father! Did you see Sir Guy 
Carleton bow to me? ” exclaimed the little girl, 


104 


A LITTLE MAID 

clasping her father’s arm with both hands. 
“And did I tell you that he is my friend? ” and 
she looked up eagerly into her father’s face. 

“ He is Kathy Down’s friend too. He gave 
her a most beautiful doll from Paris,” she added. 

Before Mr. Vincent could respond Annette 
was nearly out of the chaise in her impetuous 
effort to attract the notice of another little girl 
seated beside a stout man in a fine chaise that 
was now just passing the Vincents. 

“Kathy! Kathy Down!” called Annette, 
and Kathy instantly called back: 

“Annette! Annette!” adding in the same 
breath, “ Oh, stop the horse. Father! Stop him,” 
and Mr. Down instantly complied. Mr. Vincent 
also drew rein, bringing the two carriages side by 
side so that the two little girls were near enough 
to each other to clasp hands, while the two fathers 
saluted each other gravely. 

“ Oh, Kathy, I am so glad to see you ! ” An- 
nette exclaimed. “ I am just starting for my 
visit to Grandma’s.” 

“ My father and I have just taken Mother to 
Richmond Hill,” responded Kathy. 

“ I do wish you could go with me to Green- 
wich Village. May not Kathy go with me, Mr. 


105 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

Down? There is plenty of room for her in the 
chaise/’ and Annette moved closer to her father 
to show that there was indeed room for another 
passenger. 

“May I not go, Father?” pleaded Kathy, 
“ and when you come for Mother this evening 
you can fetch me home.” 

Mr. Down smiled good-naturedly. He was 
well pleased that Kathy should not be left alone 
with the colored servants in the big Nassau Street 
house, so he said: “Why, if your little friend 
really wishes your company, and if you, sir,” 
with a polite bow to Mr. Vincent, “ are willing, 
I have no objection.” 

“ I shall be glad to have Miss Kathy for a 
passenger,” replied Mr. Vincent, for, although 
he believed Mr. Down to have been an enemy to 
America’s liberties, he remembered that the war 
was over and that the Americans had triumphed 
and could afford to treat their recent foes with 
courtesy ; besides that he knew that it would give 
Annette great delight to have Kathy as her com- 
panion, and in a moment Kathy was seated be- 
side her friend, Mr. Down had driven on toward 
the city, and Annette’s wish had come true. 
Kathy was going with her to Greenwich Village. 


106 


A LITTLE MAW 


The two little friends chattered gaily, and now 
and then exchanged glances of radiant hapj)i- 
ness. 

“ This shall be our happiest day to remember,” 
Annette whispered, as Mr. Vincent turned into 
the well-shaded driveway leading to his mother’s 
home. 

The house stood on a rise of ground that fell 
away in the rear in a gentle slope to the water 
side. There was a broad veranda across the back 
commanding a fine view down the harbor. In 
front there was a flower garden, through which 
the drive led to the front door. 

As they drew near the house a small white dog 
rushed around the corner, barking so savagely 
that he nearly fell over at eveiy bark. 

“Here, here. Lion!” called Mr. Vincent, 
laughingly, and at the sound of a familiar voice 
the dog’s fierce barks ceased and he came run- 
ning to the side of the chaise ready to welcome 
the newcomers. 

“ Lion’s ” bark brought Madame Vincent hur- 
rying to the open door, and in a moment Annette 
was out of the chaise, saying, “ Grandma, dear 
Grandma Vincent, I’ve come to stay a week and 
brought my dearest friend, Kathy Down,” and 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


107 


then Kathy was smiling and curtseying as 
Madame Vincent made her little guests welcome, 
greeted her son, and then holding Annette by 
one hand and Kathy by the other, she led the way 
straight to the dining-room, where the table was 
spread with dishes heaped with fresh straw- 
berries, a tall glass pitcher filled with cream and 
glasses of cool milk. 

“ I knew you would be ready for a second 
breakfast after your drive,” said Grandma, 
smiling at her tall son, as they took their places 
at the table and an elderly negress brought in 
freshly baked muffins, broiled ham and coffee for 
Mr. Vincent. 

“ Lion ” kept close to Annette, and when 
breakfast was over and the little girls went out 
on the back veranda facing the harbor he trotted 
after them, as if he felt responsible for their 
safetv. 

“We can go wherever we please, Kathy, 
Grandma said that we might, and when she wants 
us she will ring a bell,’* said Annette, “ and if we 
go out to the stables we can see a colt.” 

“ What is a ‘ colt ’ ? ” questioned Kathy, 
greatly to Annette’s amusement, who was de- 
lighted to explain that a colt was a “ baby horse,” 


108 


A LITTLE MAID 


and as they followed the path leading to the 
stables Annette told her friend of a family of 
squirrels that lived in a hollow stump at the foot 
of the garden. 

While the little girls, with the fat little white 
dog following them, wandered about the gar- 
dens Madame Vineent and her son were talking 
of Annette's new friend, Sir Guy Carleton, and 
his delay in removing the British troops from 
New York. “ I am sure the Tories of the city 
are trying their best to keep him here," said 
Madame Vincent, “ and I hear that Merchant 
Down means to move all his fine goods from the 
city. How does it happen that Annette chooses 
a Tory girl for her best friend? " 

‘‘ ^Vhy, I think it is because the other girls 
treated Kathy Down unfairly,” responded An- 
nette’s father. “ You see, Annette is too good 
an American to believe in injustice, and Kathy 
is in no way to blame for her father’s disloyalty. 
Then, too, Kathy is a pleasant and well-behaved 
child.” 

Mrs. Vincent nodded. “ Well, I never doubted 
but that we should love our enemies; perhaps 
after all it is the way to conquer them, and I have 
no fault to find with Annette’s little friend, but 


OF OLD NEW YORK 109 

I fear New York will be in a sad state when it 
becomes an American city again.” 

“ Governor Clinton and General Washington 
will soon set things straight,” declared Mr. Vin- 
cent hopefully, “ and it cannot be many weeks 
now before Sir Guy sails for home. Now I must 
say good-bye to Annette and return home,” and 
with his mother beside him, Mr. Vincent started 
for the garden. 


CHAPTER IX 


AT THE FARM IN THE WOODS 

After Mr. Vincent had started for home his 
mother joined her little guests, and they walked 
together down the slope to the water’s edge. 

“ There used to be an Indian village on this 
very spot,” said Madame Vincent, “ and it is 
probable that the Indians who came out in their 
canoes to Hendrik Hudson’s ship, the Half 
Moon, and brought him vegetables and fruits 
set forth from this place.” 

Both Annette and Kathy remembered that it 
was Hendrik Hudson who in 1609 came sailing 
up the river that was afterwards named for him, 
and they looked about trying to imagine the wig- 
wams of the Indians who had lived there before 
the Dutch and English settlers came. 

“And this used to be called ‘ Farm in the 
Woods,’ did it not. Grandma? ” said Annette, 
and Madame Vincent nodded smilingly as she 
replied : 

“ Yes, and there is a Hendrik Hudson and 

110 


A LITTLE MAID 111 

his family and an Indian Chief living now on this 
very farm.” 

“ Oh, Grandma Vincent! ” exclaimed Annette, 
while Kathy’s grey eyes opened wide in aston- 
ishment. 

“ Step very softly and I will show you where 
they live,” said Madame Vincent, and she turned 
into a path leading along the shore, and the little 
girls followed her noiselessly. In a few moments 
they came to a big beech tree whose branches 
reached out over the water. 

“ Now stand very still and watch the lower 
branch,” whispered Grandma, and almost before 
she had finished speaking there was a flash of 
blue wings and they saw a bird drop through the 
air into the water and in an instant dart back to 
its perch holding a fish in its bill. 

“ There he is, ‘ Indian Chief,’ ” declared 
Grandma Vincent, as eager and interested as 
were Annette and Kathy. ‘‘ He has his nest in 
that tree, and he never goes very far away.” 

“ ’Tis a kingfisher,” said Annette. 

“ Mother calls it a halcyon,” said Kathy. 

“ Yes, of course, but here he is ‘ Indian 
Chief,’ because two hundred years ago little In- 
dian girls may have watched these birds dive into 


112 


A LITTLE MAID 


these very waters/’ responded Grandma, ‘‘ and 
now if we keep very quiet, Hendrik Hudson may 
bring his family to take a look at us.” 

As Madame Vincent spoke she picked up 
“ Lion,” who had kept close to Annette, and held 
him firmly, saying, “ Quiet, Lion! ” 

Annette and Kathy smiled happily at each 
other. They were both thinking how wonderful 
it was to be together in this place where long ago 
little Indian girls had played, and where sailors 
from far-off lands had come to make a home. It 
was but a moment before they heard a little 
scrambling noise about the roots of the big tree, 
and then a grey furry head with bright, shining 
eyes peered out at them, looked sharply about, 
and then came boldly out quite near to Annette, 
showing himself to be a fat grey squirrel. 

“ Hendrik Hudson,” whispered Grandma. 
Hendrik made a quick circle of the tree and dis- 
appeared, but the little girls had hardly time to 
miss him before he was back again, closely fol- 
lowed by two smaller squirrels. Then, quite as 
if they had been expecting visitors, the three 
furry grey squirrels perched themselves along 
the root of the tree and looked earnestly at the 
little girls. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


113 


“ I usually bring them nuts or a bit of rock 
sugar,” whispered Grandma. “Just reach in 
my bag, Annette, and you’ll find some filberts.” 

So Annette put her hand in the embroidered 
silken bag that hung from Grandma’s arm and 
in a moment the squirrels were darting here and 
there after the nuts that Annette threw about, 
while “ Lion ” moved uneasily in his mistress’s 
arms. 

“ Now I must return to the house, my dears, 
and you can do whatever you please,” said 
Grandma, as the squirrels fled off to store away 
the nuts for use on some stormy day, and “ Lion ” 
was permitted to again follow the little girls as 
they turned back toward the house, for Kathy 
had said to Madame Vincent, “ I think we would 
like to go with you, if you please,” greatly to 
Madame’s delight and approval. 

But as they reached the wide veranda Annette 
suddenly remembered that Kathy had not yet 
seen the family of ducks that lived on the shores 
of a tiny pond behind the stable, so the two little 
girls started off, while Grandma Vincent went 
indoors. 

“Lion” followed the young visitors, and Kathy 
and Annette both laughed at the sober way in 


114 


A LITTLE MAID 


which the fat little white dog would look up at 
them whenever they turned to speak to him. 

They passed the stable-yard where the long- 
legged brown colt stuck his nose over the fence 
and whinnied, as if asking them to stop and play 
with him, and Kathy laughed happily as she ex- 
claimed : 

“ What do you suppose the colt’s name 
is?” 

“ Perhaps it isn’t named, and if it isn’t I will 
ask Grandma to let us name it,” Annette re- 
sponded, adding quickly: “ Oh, Kathy, isn’t it 
splendid that we are way off here in Greenwich 
Village by ourselves?” 

“ Yes,” Kathy agreed, “ but I can only stay 
until sunset.” 

“ Perhaps you can. Perhaps you can stay all 
the week,” Annette rejoined hopefully, thinking 
to herself that she must try in some way to keep 
Kathy, and wondering if such a thing would be 
possible. 

They visited the duck pond, and the gardener 
gave them some grain to feed the young duck- 
lings and told them that wild ducks, “ bluebills,” 
he called them, often came up near the shore at 
the foot of the garden. 



THEY VISITED THE DUCK POND 



OF OLD NEW YORK 115 

“ Is the colt named yet? ” Annette asked, and 
the old gardener shook his head. 

“ I do not thinlv the mistress has yet thought of 
a name for it. But you may be sure ’twill have 
a fine name when she does. Why, every animal 
on this place is named,” he said smilingly. 

“ Let us hurry and ask Grandma,” said An- 
nette, and the two girls ran back toward the 
house, with “ Lion ” bouncing along behind 
them. 

Madame Vincent was sitting on the veranda. 
“ Dinner is waiting,” she called, as the girls came 
running up the steps, and at the sound of her 
voice the elderly colored woman appeared in the 
open doonvay, drew out a small square table and 
while Annette asked about the colt’s name the 
table was spread with broiled chicken, jelly, 
baked potatoes and new peas ; glasses were filled 
with milk and the little girls took their places on 
each side of Madame Vincent, while Marrilla hur- 
ried away for the hot muffins. The girls thought 
it a fine thing to have dinner in the open air and 
smiled happily at each other. 

“ Have you thought of a name good enough 
for so pretty a colt? ” asked Grandma, looking 
at the eager young faces. 


116 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ I want Kathy to name it, if you please. 
Grandma,” said Annette, 

“ Yes, indeed, so she shall,” Grandma Vincent 
responded quickly, well pleased with her little 
granddaughter’s thoughtfulness. “And what 
name shall it be? ” and she turned her friendly 
smile toward the little Tory girl. 

Kathy smiled back radiantly. Annette had 
told her of the visit to Sir Guy, and Kathy 
thought to herself that Annette was sure to be 
pleased if she named the colt for her new friend. 
The little girl did not realize that to her kind 
hostess Sir Guy’s name was a reminder of trou- 
ble, of war and sacrifice, so she said confidently: 
“ Then I name the colt ‘ Sir Guy,’ ” and she 
looked smilingly toward Madame Vincent and 
Annette, quite sure of their approval. 

For a moment there was silence. Even An- 
nette realized Kathv’s mistake, but when her 
grandmother said quietly: “ Very well, my dear, 
that shall be the colt’s name,” Annette looked up 
gratefully, thinking how lovely Grandma always 
was, and loving her even more dearly for not 
letting Kathy even imagine that the name of the 
British General was a name she would be glad to 
forget. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


117 


“ Would it not be splendid if Kathy could stay 
a week, Grandma? ” suggested Annette, as they 
left the table. 

“ It would indeed. Perhaps, Kathy, your 

mother ” but before Madame Vincent could 

say another word Kathy exclaimed: 

“ Oh, I forgot! I forgot! My father did not 
know that my mother had forbidden me to 
come 1 ” and the little girl stood looking at An- 
nette with so unhappy an expression that both 
Annette and her grandmother were eager to com- 
fort her. 

“ Your mother will be sure to understand that 
you did not mean to disobey, and as your father 
gave his permission for the day’s visit, I am sure 
you need not be troubled,” said Grandma, and 
Kathy grew more hopeful. 

“ It is not as if you planned to disobey,” said 
Ajinette, and Kathy was comforted and smiled 
again. “ Father always understands,” she said 
gravely, and the little cloud that had threatened 
the day’s sunshine disappeared. 

“ Would you not like to take some sugar to 
‘ Sir Guy ’? ” suggested Grandma Vincent, giv- 
ing each of the girls some bits of rock sugar, 
greatly to their delight, and they were off in- 


118 A LITTLE MAID 

stantly to inform the brown colt that he now had 
a name. 

“ Let’s climb to the top of the fence, then ‘ Sir 
Guy ’ can take the sugar from our hands,” sug- 
gested Annette. Kathy promptly agreed, and 
in a moment they were perched on the upper rail, 
while the colt eagerly nibbled the lumps that each 
little girl cautiously held out to him. He seemed 
to enjoy having his head smoothed nearly as 
much as he did the sugar. 

“ It’s too bad to keep ‘ Sir Guy ’ shut up in 
such a little yard,” said Annette. “ Let’s open 
the gate and lead him about the garden. You 
can walk on one side and I’ll hold on to his mane. 
I’m sure he’d like to walk about under the 
trees.” 

“Yes, indeed. Of course he would, and I 
think you are kind to think of it,” said Kathy, 
scrambling down from the fence, closely followed 
by Annette, and in a moment thej^ had lifted the 
bar that fastened the gate of the enclosure. 

For a moment the colt stared at his new friends 
as if wondering just what was going to happen, 
then as the little girls came toward him he 
whinnied approvingly, thinking they were bring- 
ing him more sugar, and was quite ready to be 


119 


OF. OLD NEW YORK 

led outside the yard. Then he halted, looked 
about as if he had discovered a new world, and 
in an instant he had leaped beyond the reach of 
Annette and Kathy and was racing across flower 
beds and box-bordered paths toward the shore, 
while “ Lion,” with frantic barks, ran wildly after 
him. 

“ Oh, Kathy, we must catch him ! We must ! ” 
called Annette, and away they ran in pursuit. 
Now and then the colt would stop suddenly as if 
waiting for them, and then as they drew near he 
was off again. 

When he was close to the shore the colt turned 
suddenly and leaped a low hedge into a field, and 
the girls had to search for an opening in the 
hedge to get through, and reached the field just 
in time to see “ Sir Guy ” spring over another 
hedge into a road. 

After him they went, tearing their muslin 
dresses and scratching their hands, but thinking 
only of capturing the runaway. “ Lion ” had 
given up the chase and went panting hack to rest 
on the cool veranda, but neither Annette nor 
Kathy thought about the fat little white dog as 
they ran along the rough road. 

But the brown colt could run much faster than 


120 


A LITTLE MAID 


his pursuers, and when Kathy stumbled and fell 
and Annette stopped to help her friend to her 
feet, “ Sir Guy ” disappeared. 

“ I can’t run another step,” declared Kathy, 
as she hobbled along after her fall; “ both my feet 
hurt and I’m tired.” 

“ So am I,” said Annette, “ but I don’t dare 
rest. You wait here, Kathy, under this tree and 
I’ll run on ’til I catch the colt. I don’t believe 
he will go much farther, and I’ll lead him back 
here and by that time you will be rested, and we 
can get home before Grandma has missed us.” 

Kathy gratefully agreed to this plan. She 
leaned back against the wayside tree with a tired 
sigh, and Annette hurried on in the direction the 
colt had taken. 

On and on plodded the tired little girl, but 
there was no sign of the missing “ Sir Guy.” A 
slow-moving brook crossed the road, and Annette 
stopped to take off her shoes and stockings and 
then, holding them in her hands, started to wade 
across the shallow little stream, but almost at the 
first step her foot slipped and down she splashed 
on her hands and knees. In a moment she had 
scrambled to her feet and made her way to the 
further bank. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


121 


“ Oh, what will I do? ” she whimpered, as she 
endeavored to wring the water from her skirts, 
and for the moment entirely forgot about the 
runaway colt. 


CHAPTER X 


THE BROWN COLT 

Grandma Vincent took her usual afternoon 
nap and returned to the veranda to find “ Lion ’’ 
curled up in a shady corner, apparently tired 
out. But she did not feel uneasy at the absence 
of her little visitors until Grimm, the old Scotch 
gardener, came hurrying across the garden. 

“ The brown colt is gone, ma’am ! ” he an- 
nounced. “ The gate has been opened, and I 
fear thieves have taken him.” 

In a moment Madame Vincent was hastening 
toward the stable-yard, closely followed by the 
anxious Grimm, who explained that while at 
work in a distant part of the farm he had heard 
“ Lion ” barking fiercely. 

“ But I thought ’twas some game with the 
lassies and paid no attention,” he explained. 
Neither Madame Vincent nor the gardener con- 
nected Annette and Kathy with the disappear- 
ance of the colt, and Grimm began a careful 

search of the near-by fields for the missing ani- 

122 


A LITTLE MAID 


123 


mal, while his mistress walked about the garden, 
expecting every moment to hear Annette’s voice 
or to come upon her little visitors. But as the 
long summer afternoon faded into twilight and 
the girls did not appear, Mrs. Vincent returned 
to the house and rang the bell to summon them. 

“ They are playing somewhere along the 
shore,” she explained to Marrilla, who did not 
like to keep supper waiting. 

But when the girls failed to return. Grandma 
Vincent became anxious. Grimm had come back 
from his vain search after the colt, and now, with 
Madame Vincent and Marrilla went up and down 
the garden paths, through the stables, and 
searched the house for some trace of the missing 
girls. The stars of the summer night shone 
softly through the branches of the tall trees, the 
moon rose and silvered the waters where the king- 
fisher watched for his prey, and there was no 
trace or sign of what had befallen Annette and 
Kathy, and Mrs. Vincent had just decided that 
Grimm must start for Cherry Street to tell An- 
nette’s father of her disappearance when there 
came a loud knock at the front door and Mar- 
rilla hurried to answer it, and Madame Vincent 
heard a loud voice announce: 


124 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ I have come for Miss Katherine Down,” and 
she hastened to the front hall to find an English 
soldier standing in the open door. 

At the sight of Madame Vincent he quickly 
removed his cap and explained that Mr. Down 
had been prevented by business from coming 
after his daughter, and as he was riding in the 
direction of Greenwich Village, he had offered to 
call for the little girl. “ Mrs. Down drove home 
with her friends in the afternoon,” he added. 

The soldier listened to the story of the strange 
disappearance of Annette and Kathy, and of the 
missing colt, with a puzzled expression; but as 
Madame Vincent finished her story, he said: 

“ Why, I believe the girls must have started 
off with the colt. Perhaps they thought they 
could ride it to the city.” 

This suggestion made Annette’s grandmother 
very anxious indeed, but before she could speak, 
“ Lion ” began to bark loudly, there was a call 
from Grimm, and the brown colt appeared walk- 
ing sedately up the driveway. In some way he 
had found his way safely back and was well 
pleased to be led to the stable-yard by the 
puzzled Grimm. 

The soldier offered to ride along the highway 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


125 


and look for the lost children, and Madame Vin- 
cent was glad of his offer of assistance, and he 
was just mounting his horse when two shadowy 
little figures came slowly up the path and 
“ Lion ” ran to meet them with loud barks of 
welcome. 

“ Why, here are the wanderers ! ” declared the 
soldier, laughingly, but for a moment Grandma 
Vincent could hardly believe that the barefooted, 
bedraggled little girl who called, “ Oh, Grandma, 
we’ve been lost,” was the neat little Annette who 
had run down the path a few hours ago. 

Kathy was almost too tired to speak, and 
Grandma and Marrilla nearly carried the little 
girls up the steps, while the soldier said that he 
would tell Kathy’s parents that their little daugh- 
ter was safe with Madame Vincent. “ Mr. 
Down will drive over early in the morning, I’m 
sure,” he called back, as he rode off toward New 
York. But Madame Vincent hardly realized 
that he had gone, for she was helping the girls 
up the wide staircase. 

Annette and Kathy were too tired to tell their 
story that night. Marrilla and Grandma helped 
them undress, and before Marrilla could bring 
the bowls of bread and milk that Grandma had 


126 


A LITTLE MAID 


suggested, they were both fast asleep, and very 
soon the big house was quiet, the lights extin- 
guished and its mistress alone was awake, won- 
dering what explanation Annette would make of 
the day’s adventures. For Madame Vincent now 
felt sure that the girls had opened the gate and 
let the colt out and had then endeavored to make 
him return. 

Kathy woke up very early the next morning 
and dressed quietly without awakening Annette. 
As she stood near the chamber-window she could 
look out along the road leading to New York, 
and she saw a chaise rapidly approaching. 

“ It’s my father,” she thought, and tiptoed 
from the room, ran down the stairs and was on 
the front porch before the chaise had turned into 
the driveway. 

Mr. Down’s face was very grave as he greeted 
his little daughter. On the previous day he had 
secured a seaworthy schooner for the voyage to 
Bermuda, and Kathy’s absence from home would 
cause a delay in all his plans for a prompt re- 
moval of his goods and his family from New 
York. 

“ Oh, Father, I forgot that Mother did not 
want me to come here, truly I did,” pleaded 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


127 


Kathy as her father stepped from the chaise and 
stood beside her, and before Mr. Down could re- 
spond the little girl was telling the story of 
letting the brown colt out “ for a walk in the 
garden,” and of all that had followed. 

Madame Vincent, at the noise of wheels on the 
driveway, had come to the door, and as she heard 
Kathy’s story her face brightened. She realized 
that neither of the little girls had intended to be 
mischievous, and as Kathy finished telling her 
father of the long, tiresome chase after “Sir 
Guy,” the little girl heard a friendly voice be- 
hind her say: 

“ Poor children! I am sure, Kathy, that your 
father will think I was a very careless person not 
to take better care of you,” and Madame Vin- 
cent bowed smilingly to “ Tory Down,” thinking 
to herself that with her brown colt named for a 
British General and a Loyalist on her front steps 
it was indeed proof that peace was nearly estab- 
lished between England and America. 

Mr. Down made his best bow to this friendly 
white-haired lady who seemed so fond of his little 
daughter and agreed to let Kathy remain until 
the following day, and drove away wishing to 
himself that he need not take his family to a 


128 


A LITTLE MAID 

far-off island, and perhaps regretting that he had 
made his friends among the enemies of America. 

Kathy was now her own happy self again, and 
as she sat at breakfast beside Grandma Vincent, 
for Grandma had decided to let Annette sleep, 
she told her of their adventures of the previous 
day, and added thoughtfully : 

“ Something always happens when Annette 
and I plan to have a whole happy day.” 

“ Well, to-day is Sunday, and if you and An- 
nette are willing, I think I can plan a happy day 
for you and nothing happen to spoil it,” Grandma 
responded smilingly. 

“ Yes, indeed,” ;Kathy agreed, “ Will you 
tell us just as soon as Annette comes down- 
stairs? ” 

“ I am down-stairs now,” they heard someone 
say, and they looked up to see a very sober little 
girl standing in the doorway. 

“ Oh, Annette, I have told your grandma all 
about it. And my father says I may stay until 
to-morrow night!” exclaimed Kathy, springing 
up from her seat at the table and running to meet 
her friend. 

Annette looked anxiously toward her grand- 
mother, for the little girl felt that she had been to 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


129 


blame in setting the colt free. But Grandma 
was smiling as if she had no thought of blame, 
and Annette gave a long sigh of relief as she took 
her place at the table and looked approvingly at 
the steaming bowl of porridge that Marrilla has- 
tened to set before her. 

After breakfast Grandma suggested that 
Kathy should put on one of Annette’s muslin 
dresses, as Kathy’s was soiled and torn from yes- 
terday’s adventure. “ Then come out on the 
veranda for the morning’s service,” said Madame 
Vincent, and in a short time both the little girls 
were beside her in their dainty summer gowns, 
their brown curls tied back with white ribbons 
and looking as happy as if they had forgotten all 
about the hardships that they had passed through ; 
and when Grandma Vincent declared that they 
looked enough alike to be sisters, Annette and 
Kathy were quite sure that their happy day had 
really begun. 

“ Sit here by me,” said Grandma, as she 
placed herself on the cushioned bench at the end 
of the veranda, and the girls quickly obeyed. 
Their thoughts were full of the long day before 
them, and they were eager to know what 
Grandma Vincent had planned for their pleasure. 


130 


A LITTLE MAID 

but as they sat down they noticed that she held 
two small books, and that Marrilla stood in the 
open doorway, while Grimm was coming up the 
path. 

‘‘ You see, my dears, I cannot always go to 
church' on Sunday mornings, so I have a little 
service by myself. Grimm and Marrilla like to 
have me read to them, and perhaps you will like 
to sing this with me,” said Madame Vincent, and 
she handed one of the small books to Annette, 
and the little group sang: 

Wherever Thy people meet, 

Appears Thy mercy-seat; 

Wherever they seek Thee, Thou art found, 

And every place is hallowed ground.** 

After this Madame Vincent read the story of 
Daniel in the lion’s den, to which the girls lis- 
tened eagerly. It seemed to them a wonderful 
and beautiful thing that the wild beasts could 
understand Daniel’s innocence, and that he was 
safe with them. 

The little white dog had established himself at 
his mistress’s feet and, with his head tilted a little 
to one side, appeared to be listening to every 
word. 

When the reading was over Grimm and Mar- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


131 


rilla disappeared, and Grandma Vincent told the 
girls stories of her Dutch grandparents, who had 
built that very house. “And my grandmother’s 
name was ‘Annette,’ ” she reminded her little 
granddaughter, “ and this and all the farms were 
then called ‘ boweries.’ ” 

Then she told them that only the previous week 
three Indian squaws, accompanied by two little 
Indian girls, had come to the farm to gather the 
sweet grass that grew in the fields. This was 
interesting news to Annette and Kathy, and they 
wished they might have seen these visitors. The 
girls were both tired from their long chase of the 
day before, and they found it very pleasant to 
lean back on the cushioned bench and listen to 
the stories of far-off times. 

Kathy felt pleased and grateful that Annette 
never seemed to remember that she was the 
daughter of a Tory. As they sat together that 
pleasant June morning Kathy recalled the many 
times Annette had defended her against the 
taunts and unkindness of other children. “And 
she always shares her good times with me,” 
thought Kathy, and turned to smile radiantly 
at her friend, resolving never to forget her 
loyalty and kindness. 


132 


A LITTLE MAW 

It was dinner time before they knew it. And 
Marrilla had made tiny frosted cakes on purpose 
for the little visitors, and they had just left the 
dining-room when there was the sound of 
wheels on the driveway, and Madame Vincent 
said: 

“ Run and put on your hats, my dears. Grimm 
is ready to take you for a drive.” 

“But you are going too. Grandma!” ex- 
claimed Annette. 

“ Yes, indeed. I will be ready in a moment,” 
was the smiling response, and very soon the little 
party were driving along the pleasant country 
road. 

Annette and Kathy sat side by side on the back 
seat, and Kathy told her friend that when she 
went to Bermuda she would write to her every 
day. “ Then when ships return to New York I 
will send all the letters sealed up in a package,” 
she said, and Annette promised that she, too, 
would write and send the letters to Kathy when- 
ever she could. 

“ Cousin J ohn could get some sailor who was 
going to Bermuda to take my letters, but I am 
afraid he wouldn’t,” she said, and at this Kathy’s 
smile vanished, for she was sure that John dis- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


133 


liked Annette’s friendship for a Tory’s daughter, 
and she rejoined soberly: 

“If I don’t ever receive a letter from you, 
Annette, I shall be sure you are my true friend 
just the same.” 

How quickly that afternoon passed! It had 
indeed been a happy day for the little girls, and 
when that evening Madame Vincent pointed out 
the constellations in the summer sky, showing 
them the “ Wagon,” “ Gemini — the Twins,” as 
well as the Belt of Orion and the Pleiades, An- 
nette declared that it had been a beautiful day. 
“We will always remember it, won’t we, Kathy? ” 
she said, and Kathy nodded and responded; 

“ Yes, indeed, always.” 


7 


* 




w. 


CHAPTER XI 


TWO LITTLE INDIAN GIRLS 

The day after Kathy’s departure Annette 
awoke to the sound of rain on the leaves of the 
trees near her chamber windows, and Grandma 
Vincent came into the room with a dainty little 
jacket of pink wool, saying that Annette had 
better slip it over her thin summer dress before 
coming down-stairs, as the weather had suddenly 
grown cool. 

When Annette entered the dining-room she 
exclaimed in surprised delight: “ Oh, I am glad 
it is raining, it makes this room so pleasant,” at 
which Madame Vincent laughed heartily. 

“It is the fire, not the rain, dear child, that 
makes the room pleasant,” she responded, for 
there was a blaze of fragrant apple-wood on the 
broad hearth that seemed to make the room bright 
and sunny. 

There were two whole days of rain, but 

Grandma Vincent found so many things for 

134 


135 


A LITTLE MAID 

Annette to do that the little girl did not mind 
the bad weather. The aprons for Lottie were 
finished, and Marrilla helped Annette make some 
creamed walnuts and candied strawberries to 
take home as a gift to her mother. “ Lion,” too, 
proved good company for the little girl, and An- 
nette often thought that she would like the fat 
little dog for her very own. 

Before the skies cleared Annette and Grandma 
Vincent had planned the entertainment for the 
July Fourth party of the coming week. Ever 
since Grandma Vincent had told Annette the 
story of Hendrik Hudson and his ship, the Half 
Moon, and of the friendly welcome the Indians 
had given the explorers, she had resolved to ask 
Grandma if they could not play a “ make-be- 
lieve ” of Hudson’s arrival as an amusement for 
the guests at the garden party on July Fourth, 
and when she made this suggestion Madame Vin- 
cent declared it to be a fine idea. 

“ You see. Grandma, Cousin John’s boat can 
be the Half Moon and John can be Hendrik 
Hudson. He can have little Peter Davidson 
and Betty Mason’s two brothers for his crew, and 
Delia and Betty and I can be Indian squaws 
and cook a dinner for the white men,” suggested 


136 


A LITTLE MAID 


Annette eagerly, and Madame Vincent said she 
thought that the idea was excellent. 

“You can talk it over with your mother when 
you get home,” she said. 

The remainder of Annette’s visit passed very 
quickly, and when early on Saturday morning 
her father came to take her home she declared 
the week to have been a very short time. 

“ But you will come to Cherry Street for our 
Fourth of July party, will you not. Grandma? 
And that will soon be here,” she said, as she took 
her seat in the chaise beside her father. 

Grandma promised, and then called to 
“ Lion,” who was trying to climb into the chaise 
beside Annette. 

“ Oh, Grandma, may not ‘ Lion ’ come with us 
for a visit? ” asked Annette. 

“ Indeed he may if you want to bother with 
him, my dear,” responded Madame Vincent, so 
the little dog was lifted to the seat beside An- 
nette and settled down, evidently well ]3leased to 
be leaving the only home he had ever known. 

“ Perhaps Grandma means to give ‘ Lion ’ to 
me for my very own,” said Annette as they 
started off toward home. 

As they rode along Mr. Vincent told his little 


137 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

daughter of the various names by which New 
York had been known. “ It was Manhattan in 
early days, and then the Dutch called it New 
Netherlands,” he said, and Annette asked him 
what name the Indians had called the Hudson 
River. 

“ Co-ha-te-yah,” responded her father. 

Annette wished she dared ask her father if 
Merchant Down had sailed away to Bermuda, 
but she knew that such a question would betray 
Kathy’s secret, so she did not mention her friend 
until she told her mother the story of their ad- 
venture with the brown colt, and of the happy 
Sunday with Grandma Vincent. 

“ Mr. Down’s servant left a package here yes- 
terday for you; it is in the lower drawer of the 
highboy,” said Mrs. Vincent, and Annette ran 
eagerly to the tall chest of drawers, drew out the 
lower one and there lay a small package neatly 
wrapped in white paper. But as Annette picked 
it up her smile vanished. 

‘‘ Oh, I cannot open it until September first. 
See, Mother, dear, Kathy has written ‘ For An- 
nette. Not to be opened until September first.’ ” 

“ Well, Kathy has surely sent your birthday 
present in good season, September is two 


138 


A LITTLE MAID 

months ahead,” responded Mrs. Vincent smil- 
ingly, but she wondered a little why Kathy had 
not kept the gift until Annette’s birthday 
arrived. 

“ I do wonder what it is,” said Annette, as she 
returned the package to the lower drawer. Her 
face had grown very serious, for she now realized 
that the time for Kathy’s departure must be near 
at hand or she would not have sent the birthday 
gift. 

“ Lion ” kept very close to Annette. There 
was a large Maltese cat in the kitchen, who made 
life in the Cherry Street house a dangerous ad- 
venture for the small white dog, and “ Lion ” 
was already regretting his departure from the 
safety of home, and felt Annette to be his only 
friend. 

‘‘We must make our plans for July Fourth at 
once,” said Mrs. Vincent. “ What did Grandma 
suggest? ” 

“ I thought of something myself. Mother,’^ 
said Annette, her face brightening at the remem- 
brance of Hendrik Hudson, and Mrs. Vincent 
smiled her approval as she listened to her little 
daughter’s plan, and agreed that it would be 
sure to entertain their guests. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


139 


“ But it will all depend on your Cousin John’s 
help,” she reminded Annette, “ and he will need 
some time to prepare his boat. Perhaps he may 
come in this afternoon and then we will ask him.” 

That afternoon Annette and her mother made 
a list of the guests to be invited to the garden 
party. 

“ On Monday morning you and Lottie can call 
and ask our friends,” said Mrs. Vincent, and then 
added: “ I am sorry, dear, that you cannot ask 
your friend Kathy. But you see we are asking 
the families of our friends loyal to America’s 
rights, and we cannot ask a Tory to help us cele- 
brate our Independence Day.” 

Annette understood this. She did not feel 
disappointed, for she now felt very sure that 
Kathy would soon leave New York, perhaps 
even before the day of the party. 

John appeared late that afternoon and listened 
to his little cousin’s story of Hendrik Hudson 
and the Half Moon, and when she had finished he 
good-naturedly promised to do his best to make 
the Fleetwing resemble the Half Moon, and to 
look as much like the bold explorer Hudson as 
possible. 

“ I’d like better to have the New York Tea 


140 


A LITTLE MAID 

Party over again,” he declared. “ There is great 
talk of Boston’s Tea Party, but we had one of 
our own, right in this harbor, on April 21st, 1774, 
don’t forget that, Annette; when the Sons of 
Liberty boarded the English ship F/bncy and 
made her weigh anchor and take her cargo of tea 
back to England.” 

But Annette was more interested just then in 
her cousin’s promise to represent Hendrik Hud- 
son than in his story of the early days of the 
Revolution. It sometimes seemed to the little 
girl that all John thought about was the welfare 
and honor of America, and she often wondered 
if she would ever have an opportunity to prove 
her own loyalty. 

“Perhaps you will do something fine for Amer- 
ica, something that will always be remembered, 
John,” she said soberly, as her tall cousin said 
“ Good-bye.” 

“ Perhaps so, and you must be ready to help,” 
he rejoined laughingly, as he ran down the gar- 
den path to the landing where his boat was 
moored. Annette looked after him, thinking 
that if such a time ever came she would be ready. 

Early on Monday morning Lottie and An- 
nette started out to invite the guests for July 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


141 


Fourth. Mrs. Vincent had decided to ask only 
their nearest friends, but there were about ten 
houses to visit, and it was noon before Annette 
had finished. She would rap at the door and ask 
if she might see “ the mistress of the house, if 
you please,” and then when the lady appeared 
Annette would curtsey and say: “ Gnod-mom- 
ing. My mother sends her compliments, and 
she will be most happy if you and your family 
will come to our house at two o’clock on the after- 
noon of July Fourth and spend the afternoon.” 

The invitations were all smilingly accepted, 
and at Betty Mason’s and Delia Davidson’s, An- 
nette saw her girl friends and told them of her 
plan, and they enthusiastically promised their 
help and that of their brothers. 

Delia walked nearly home with Annette talk- 
ing over the celebration of America’s independ- 
ence, and just as she reached St. George Square 
and had said good-bye, and as she turned to go 
home, she called back: ‘‘I’m glad you are not 
going to ask those Tories, the Downs.” 

Annette could feel her face flush angrily. It 
was not that she was a disloyal child, for she 
knew of the great sacrifices the American people 
had made for justice, but that Delia should re- 


142 


A LITTLE MAID 


joice that Kathy was not to be included in a 
good time with the other girls made Annette 
wish that she could call back, “ Kathy is com- 
ing,” but she could not do this, so she made no 
response, and hurried on toward home, wishing 
with all her heart that there was some way in 
which she could make up to her little Tory 
friend for the unfair treatment of her play- 
mates. 

The next two days were very busy days in the 
Vincent household. Mrs. Vincent and Lottie 
were baking cakes and custards, while during 
his spare time Mr. Vincent worked in the garden 
building a number of “ wigwams ” of poles and 
brush, which were to form the Indian village. 
Annette helped her father with this work, and 
Delia and Betty came to ask about their part in 
the play,” as they now called Annette’s enter- 
tainment. 

John and the boys who were to form his crew 
were very secret about their plans. And John 
would only laugh and shake his head when An- 
nette questioned him. 

“ Wait until the Fourth,” was all he would 
say. 

The morning of the Fourth was fair and 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


143 


sunny, and as Annette looked from her open 
window and saw the circle of wigwams at the 
foot of the garden she laughed happily. 

“ It is going to be the very best time of all the 
summer,” she told herself, “ even better than 
the picnic at Staten Island, or the visit at 
Grandma’s.” But this made her think of Kathy, 
of whom she had not heard since they said good- 
bye at Greenwich Village. 

Grandma Vincent arrived in time for the noon- 
day meal, greatly to “ Lion’s ” delight. He no 
longer followed Annette, but kept close to his 
mistress as if determined not to be again sepa- 
rated from her. 

Earlv in the afternoon before the arrival of the 
guests Annette ran down for a look at the “ In- 
dian village,” and as she neared the wigwam 
nearest the landing she heard someone call: 
“Annette, Annette,” and in a moment saw Kathy 
Down peering cautiously out from the open- 
ing. 

“ Oh, Kathy! ” she exclaimed. 

“Sshh!” cautioned Kathy. “No one must 
see me. I’ve come to say ‘ good-bye,’ dear An- 
nette. All our goods are loaded on a schooner 
in the lower bay, and to-night we are to go on 


144 A LITTLE MAID 

board. But I couldn’t bear not to see you once 
more.” 

Annette was now inside the wigwam, and the 
two little friends were silent for a moment at the 
thought that the time had really come when 
Kathy was to start on the voyage to Ber- 
muda. 

“ But, Kathy, you must stay to my party,” 
she declared. “ Promise you will. You can start 
for home in good season. Listen, Kathy! You 
know everyone says that we look alike. Well, I 
am to dress as an Indian girl, in a little skirt 
made of deerskin, and moccasins, and a head- 
dress of turkey feathers. And Mother made two 
costumes just alike, and then Betty had fixed 
one for herself. So, Kathy, you can wear the 
one my mother planned for Betty, and we will 
stain our faces with the stuff John has fixed and 
pull our hair well over our faces. Then I can 
be careful and hide when you walk about, and 
you ean hide when I am in sight. Oh, Kathy! 
It will be fun. No one will find out about it. 
Promise you will. I’ll bring the Indian dress 
down for you and you can put it on in this wig- 
wam.” 

As Annette talked Kathy’s face brightened. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


145 


The thought of one more happy afternoon with 
her best friend made her forget the dangers of 
such a plan, and she promptly agreed. 

“ But I must start for home in good season,” 
she warned Annette, who hardly noticed what 
Kathy was saying, for she was in a hurry to re- 
turn to the house and secure Kathy’s costume 
before the arrival of Betty and Delia and the 
other girls and boys who were to take part in 
the play. 

“ Keep way back in the wigwam, Kathy,” 
she cautioned, and then ran toward the 
house. 

Everyone was too busy to pay attention to 
Annette, and in a short time she was back at the 
wigwam and she and Kathy stained each other’s 
faces with the brown coloring that John had pre- 
pared. A head-dress of turkey feathers nodded 
on each little head, and when they drew their 
brown hair well over their faces, as Annette had 
suggested, and stood side by side no one could 
have told which was Annette and which was 
Kathv. 

“ It’s going to be fun. Remember just to 
nod and gi'unt if anyone speaks to you,” cau- 
tioned Annette, and the two girls chuckled hap- 


146 


A LITTLE MAID 


pily at the thought of the joke they were about 
to play on all the guests of the afternoon. 

“ Hide, Kathy! Quick, here come Delia and 
Betty,’’ whispered Annette, running out from 
the wigwam to meet the girls, who came hurry- 
ing down the path. 


CHAPTER XII 


A DANGEROUS GAME 

By half-past two o’clock the guests were all 
assembled near the “ Indian village.” The boys 
were all dressed as Indian braves, Annette, Delia 
and Betty were dressed as squaws, but the other 
little girl visitors wore their pretty summer mus- 
lins and one exclaimed laughingly: “Annette is 
everywhere ! I saw her at the landing, and then 
as I looked around she was close beside me.” 

“ Yes,” responded Delia, to whom the little 
girl was speaking, “ I don’t know how she gets 
about so quickly,” for Annette and Kathy were 
carrying out their plan very successfully, and as 
yet were unsuspected. 

It was the middle of the afternoon when there 
was a little murmur of applause as a two-masted, 
high-sterned vessel appeared in the river nearly 
opposite the landing. In the bow of the vessel 
stood John dressed in a high-crowned hat, a long 

belted coat and high boots. He held up one hand 

147 


148 


A LITTLE MAID 


to screen his eyes as he looked toward the shore, 
as if beholding a strange land for the first 
time. 

Just behind him stood little Peter Mason and 
the two Davidson boys dressed in the same fash- 
ion and endeavoring to look like bold explorers 
from far-off Holland. 

John had worked hard to make his boat and 
crew resemble the pictures he had seen of the 
Half Moon, He had built up a high stern on 
the Fleetwing and added a temporary extra mast, 
and he was well pleased by the praise and ap- 
proval of the older guests and the delight and 
surprise of the boys and girls, who realized more 
clearly than ever before that Manhattan’s shores 
had once been a wild region inhabited only by 
Indians. 

Hendrik Hudson was warmly welcomed, and 
he and his men came on shore to feast with the In- 
dian braves and the white settlers. Betty Mason, 
Delia and Annette brought the cool strawberry- 
flavored drinks, the sandwiches and frosted 
cakes, the custards and whipped cream-puffs that 
Mrs. Vincent had made ready for her guests, and 
more than one noticed that Annette really seemed 
to be in two places at once. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


149 


Who is the other girl dressed just like you, 
Annette? ’’ John asked laughingly, as an Indian 
squaw brought him a well-filled plate of cream- 
puffs. But the girl he supposed to be Annette, 
who was really Kathy, vanished so quickly that 
John looked after her in surprise. 

Kathy and Annette would now and then meet 
for a moment out of sight of the others and 
whisper their delight at the success of Annette’s 
plan, for until John’s question had alarmed 
Kathy they had been sure that no one suspected 
them. 

The afternoon went by happily. If the In- 
dian squaws found their costumes too warm for 
a July day they made no complaint. The older 
members of the company told stories of the days 
when New York was a Dutch colony of log 
houses, and a stone fort as a protection against 
the Indians, while John was the centre of a group 
composed of ‘‘ Indian braves ” and the crew of 
the Half Moon, to whom he was telling of the 
Battle of Golden Hill ; Golden Hill being a little 
rise of ground on John Street near the centre 
of the city, where, on January 18th, 1770, was 
struck the first blow of the American Revolu- 
tion, when English soldiers endeavored to des- 


150 


A LITTLE MAID 

troy a Liberty Pole erected by New .York citi- 
zens and were driven away by loyal men. 

The younger boys listened eagerly to John’s 
account of the courage of the Sons of Liberty. 
They all considered John to be a hero, as they 
knew he had sailed to far-off ports, and they felt 
proud to be his companions in this celebration of 
July Fourth, America’s Independence Day. 

Twilight was approaching when Lottie came 
hurrying down the path saying that Mr. Down’s 
servant was at the door and would like to speak 
to Miss Annette. 

It was Kathy to whom she gave the message, 
and the frightened little girl dared not face 
Phyllis, whom she was sure would instantly 
recognize her, but she ran up toward the house 
and hid beneath a lilac bush, while the surprised 
Lottie, on turning for a look at the Half Moon, 
found herself facing Annette. 

“ Ma grashus sakes, Missie, ain’ I jes’ tells 
yo’ to step to de fron’ do’r an’ spik to dat wuth- 
less nigger o’ Massa Down?” she exclaimed. 

For a moment Annette looked at Lottie in sur- 
prise. “ What does she want? ” she whispered. 

“ She’s a-huntin’ af’er dat Miss Kathy. I tells 
her plain dat dis ain’ no Tory pahty,” replied 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


151 


Lottie proudly, “ an’ dat I ain’ seen no Miss 
Kathy. But she’s turrible ’cited, an’ say she 
mus' see you, so I reckon you’d better step 
along.” 

Annette hardly knew what to do. She re- 
membered that Kathy’s wide flower-trimmed hat 
lay hidden in the wigwam, and in a moment she 
resolved to endeavor to save Kathy from any 
trouble caused by her own plan for deceiving the 
others. She would put on Kathy’s hat and try 
and make Phyllis believe that she was Kathy, and 
thus give Kathy time to take off her disguise and 
return to Nassau Street. 

“ I’ll be there in a moment,” she told Lottie 
and ran into the wigwam. An instant later she 
darted past Lottie, ran through the hall to the 
front door, where Phyllis stood on the shadowy 
porch. 

The wide hat concealed Annette’s face from 
the anxious servant, and she seized the little girl’s 
hand and drew her rapidly down the steps. 

“ My Ian’, Missie Kathy, wot you a-t’inkin’ 
’bout to run off de berry day yo’ fo’ks is ready 
to sail? An’ all rigged up like yo’ be! Yo’ 
ma’s ’bout crazy. She’s on de ship dis minnit, 
an’ yo’ pa is a- waitin’ in a boat down ter de shore 


152 


A LITTLE MAID 

fer me ter fetch yo’. I tells him I knowed jes’ 
whar to fin’ yo’. My Ian’ ! ” And without wait- 
ing for any response, Phyllis talked on of all the 
hard work she had accomplished that afternoon. 

“ An’ now de house am closed, an’ by mawin’ 
we’ll be on our wav to whar dar ain’ no ’Merican 
fo’ks to make trubble fer us,” she said, turning 
into a narrow street that led toward the shore. 

Annette began to wonder what would happen 
to Kathy. She felt sure that her little friend 
had heard Lottie’s message, and that Kathy 
would instantly start for Nassau Street, but if 
the house was closed and Mrs. Down on board 
ship, what would become of the little girl? 

‘‘ Oh, Phyllis, aren’t we going to Nassau 
Street? ” she asked in a hoarse whisper. 

“Dar, you’ve cotched cold! Mah sakes! I 
cyn’t hahdly hear yo’. No, Missie, yo’ pa tells 
me to fetch yo’ right down to de place whar he’s 
waitin’ wid de boat ter take us to de ship. I 
reckon yo’s gwine ter get scolded, Missie,” con- 
cluded the negress. 

Clouds were gathering in the twilight sky, and 
it had suddenly grown too dark to clearly dis- 
tinguish any object not close at hand, and Phyllis 
hurried on anxious to reach the shore; and before 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


153 


Annette could decide what it was best to do a 
tall figure appeared directly in front of them, 
and she heard Phyllis exclaim : 

“ H’ar Miss Kathy, Massa Down,” and An- 
nette’s hand was grasped firmly by Kathy’s 
father. 

“ There’s no time to lose,” he declared. “ I’m 
afraid there’s a storm coming up before we can 
get on board ship. You have made us great 
trouble, Kathy,” he added, as they reached the 
water’s edge where a boat with two sailors on 
board was waiting. 

Annette now realized there was no time to 
lose. She must tell Mr. Down that Kathy was 
probably at that very moment on her way to 
Nassau Street. 

“ Oh! Please ” she began, but Mr. Down 

instantly silenced her. 

“ Keep quiet, Katherine. You can tell your 
story to your mother.” 

“ But I must tell you ” Annette ex- 

claimed, as Mr. Down lifted her on board the 
boat, where she was quickly followed by Phyllis, 
and a moment later they were clear from the 
shore, and the sailors bent to their oars and sent 
the boat rapidly through the water. 


154 


A LITTLE MAID 

Mr. Down was in the bow, while Annette and 
Phyllis were seated in the stern. 

“ I don’t want to go. I mustn’t! I’m not 
Kathy Down, I am ” Annette declared, pull- 

ing away from Phyllis, and endeavoring to stand 
on her feet only to be pulled back and scolded by 
the puzzled negress who wondered what “ pos- 
sessed ” her young mistress, and hardly knew 
what to do. The rain had begun to fall before 
the boat reached Mr. Down’s vessel. One of the 
sailors lifted Annette on board, and Phyllis 
climbed up after her, and at that moment Mr. 
Down exclaimed: 

“ Here comes a boat after us,” and a voice 
called : 

‘‘ Boat ahoy! A passenger for Mr. Down.” 

“ Oh! It’s John! It’s John! ” cried Annette, 
dancing about on the slippery deck; and a small 
boat darted up beside the ship to the surprise 
and bewilderment of Mr. Down, for here was 
another little girl calling: “Father! Father!” 
and a queer figure in a high crowned hat that 
made Mr. Down wonder who it could be, as John 
hurriedly explained that Phyllis had taken the 
wrong girl, and that Kathy had asked him to fol- 
low them. 


155 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

The rain ceased as suddenly as it had begun, 
the sky cleared, and the summer stars shone 
down on the queer company gathered on the deck 
of the little schooner. The two “ Indian girls,” 
J ohn in his Dutch costume, while Phyllis in her 
blue dress and white turban, frightened and puz- 
zled, looked from one to the other of the little 
girls, hardly knowing which one to claim for her 
little mistress. 

There was a hurried explanation in which An- 
nette falteringly told of her plan for one more 
good time with Kathy. “ And I came with 
Phyllis to give Kathy a chance to get back to 
Nassau Street. I did not mean to make so much 
trouble,” she concluded. 

“ Say good-bye to your friend, Kathy,” said 
Mr. Down sharply. “ We have no more time to 
lose.” 

For a moment Kathy and Annette clung to- 
gether, but they said no word of good-bye; then 
John drew his little cousin toward the side of the 
vessel, helped her into the small boat, picked up 
his oars and with a strong pull sent his little craft 
clear of the ship. 

“ Good-bye, Annette. Dear Annette, good- 
bye,” called Kathy, and looking back Annette 


156 


A LITTLE MAID 


could see a shadowy little figure near the ship’s 
rail, and called back: “ Good-bye, dear Kathy.” 

John did not speak to his cousin until they 
landed. Then he told her that Phyllis had hardly 
left the Cherry Street house before Kathy had 
come running to him and told all the story, and 
begged him to go with her after Annette and 
Phyllis. 

“We were close behind you when Mr. Down’s 
boat left the shore,” said John, “ and I hailed him 
then, but could not make him hear. I had to 
search for a boat, too, and began to think it was 
no use to try to rescue you.” 

Annette hardly heard what John was saying. 
She was thinking of Kathy, now sailing away not 
again to return to New York. 

But John thought it important that Annette 
should realize how much trouble she had made 
by her friendship for a Tory girl, and continued: 

“If your guests knew that a Tory girl was one 
of the company this afternoon they would think 
little of your patriotism, Annette. Suppose you 
had really been carried off on that Tory vessel, 
what would have become of you? ” 

Annette was very tired and unhappy, but she 
knew herself to be a loyal American girl, as well 


OF OLD NEW YORK 157 

as a true friend to Kathy, and she answered 
sharply : 

“ Wait and see if I am not as patriotic as you 
are, Cousin John.” 

“Yes, with the war over, and Governor George 
Clinton doing his best to get English troops out 
of the country, it’s an easy matter now to be a 
patriot,” sneered the boy scornfully. 

“ Perhaps I can prove it some way,” Annette 
insisted. “ You wait and see,” and John said no 
more, for they were now at the door of the 
Cherry Street house, and after seeing Annette 
safely at home John vanished, leaving his cousin 
to tell her mother and father the story of the 
evening. 


CHAPTER XIII 


VISITORS 

The week following the garden party was not 
a very happy time for Annette. Every day she 
thought of Kathy, and often opened the drawer 
that held her friend’s birthday gift and looked at 
the neat little package, wondering what message 
it might contain from her far-off friend, and 
wishing that September was not so distant a time 
that she might open the package. 

And besides missing Kathy, Annette’s 
thoughts were troubled by the remembrance of 
her Cousin John’s assertion that Annette was not 
loyal to America. With all her heart Annette 
hoped that the time might come when she could 
prove her patriotism to her cousin; and such a 
time did come, although not as soon as the little 
girl hoped for. 

‘‘ Lion ” had been as eager to return to Green- 
wich Village with his mistress as he had been 
rejoiced to accompany Annette to Cherry Street. 

It was evident the little, fat white dog had learned 

158 


A LITTLE MAID 


159 


that home was the best place, but Annette missed 
him, and began to wish that she had a dog of her 
own. “ Matilda,” as the big Maltese cat was 
named, objected to being a pet, and kept very 
close to Lottie, or ran off into the garden when- 
ever Annette endeavored to make friends with 
her, so that at last the little girl decided that a 
dog was a much more satisfactory friend; but, as 
“ Lion ” was in Greenwich Village, Annette 
amused herself with her two dolls, “ Stella ” and 
“ Vesta,” taking them into the garden on warm 
afternoons, and making new gowns and hats for 
each of them of strips of silk and lace from her 
mother’s “ piece-bag.” 

It was a week after the garden party when 
Delia Davidson and Betty Mason, both wearing 
their best summer dresses, came up the steps of 
the Cherry Street house, and when Lottie opened 
the door primly inquired if “ Miss Annette ” was 
at home. 

Lottie ushered them into the parlor, and hur- 
ried into the garden to find her little mistress. 

“ Dar’s two fine young ladies a-callin’ on you. 
Miss Annette,” she announced solemnly, and 
then returned to her kitchen chuckling with satis- 
faction over “ de grown-up way dose gals act,” 


160 


A LITTLE MAID 


while Annette, with both her dolls in her arms, 
came running into the house. But before enter- 
ing the parlor Annette seated “ Stella” and 
“ Vesta ” on the broad settle in the hall, smoothed 
her hair, and then walked sedately into the cool 
pleasant front room. 

Delia and Betty had seated themselves on a 
sofa opposite the door, and as Annette entered 
they both stood up, curtseyed, and said, in what 
they intended to be a very dignified manner, 
“ Good-afternoon, Miss Vincent. We have 
come to make our party call.” 

Nothing could have pleased Annette more, as 
she delighted in “ make-believes,” and, for the 
first time since Kathy Down’s departure, she felt 
a thrill of delight in the companionship of play- 
mates, and she, in her turn, curtseyed, and ad- 
vanced with outstretched hand, saying: 

“ I am indeed pleased to see you. Miss David- 
son and Miss Mason. Will you not be seated? ” 

But a giggle from Delia made all three of the 
little girls forget their attempt to act like 
“ grown-ups,” and in a moment they were all 
talking eagerly, although Betty did not forget to 
take her knitting from her fine silk work-bag and 
to knit while she chattered about “ Hendrik Hud- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


161 


son,” and the good time they had enjoyed at 
Annette’s garden party. 

Both Delia and Betty spoke of Annette’s 
quickness in being “ in two places at once,” on 
July Fourth. 

“ Truly, you were,” declared Betty soberly. 
“For you brought me a custard, and almost at 
the same minute I saw you in the door of one of 
the wigwams. I don’t see how you managed it.” 

But Annette kept her seat. She had resolved 
that no one outside her own family should know 
of Kathy’s part in the celebration of America’s 
Independence Day ; and as Delia and Betty were 
both eager to tell Annette of the departure of 
the Downs and of a party Sir Guy Carleton had 
given for them on the afternoon before the 
Downs sailed, they did not notice Annette’s fail- 
ure to respond to Betty’s question. 

“And Sir Guy invited Kathy,” continued 
Delia, “ because it seems he had a fine gift for 
her, a locket and chain. But Kathy could not 
be found, so Sir Guy’s servant told our Nick, 
although the Downs searched everywhere for 
her.” 

“And did not Kathy get her locket?” An- 
nette questioned anxiously. 


162 


A LITTLE MAID 

“ Oh, I suppose so. Probably her mother 
took it for her,” responded Delia. 

“ But the strange part of it all is that no one 
saw Kathy all that afternoon,” said Betty, look- 
ing at Annette so sharply that Annette could feel 
her face flush. 

“ Well, nobody saw the Downs move all their 
things. ’Twas all done secretly,” said Delia, 
“ but we did not mean to talk about the Downs,” 
she added quickly. “ I am going to have a birth- 
day party, Annette, on the last day of July, and 
I hope you will come. I am only asking my best 
friends,” she added, “ and you must not give me 
any present because this is to be a new kind of a 
birthday party, and presents would spoil it.” 

Annette promised all that Delia suggested in 
regard to the party. Guests were to arrive at 
three o’clock in the afternoon, and to remain for 
an early supper. 

Of course I cannot tell you what the surprise 
will be,” said Delia, evidently well pleased with 
her secret; and Betty and Annette hastened to 
respond that of course Delia could not tell them 
anything so important. 

Just as Annette’s visitors were thinking that 
they must start for home Mrs. Vincent came into 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


163 


the room, closely followed by Lottie bringing a 
tray with glasses of raspberry-shrub and a plate 
of sugar cookies. 

“Just as if we’re really grown-up visitors,” 
thought Delia, as she spread a tiny fringed nap- 
kin over her blue muslin, and helped herself to a 
cooky. 

The young visitors soon took their departure 
in as formal a manner as they had arrived, and 
Mrs. Vincent declared them to be well-mannered 
girls, adding: “ I hope you will be good friends 
with Delia and Betty, Annette.” 

“ Oh, yes. Mother,” rejoined the little girl, 
“ only they are so nearly grown up. Why, they 
are both thirteen years old, and I am not eleven 
until September. Kathy was just my age,” she 
concluded, a little mournfully. But Mrs. Vin- 
cent made no response; she hoped that Annette 
would soon be reconciled to the absence of her 
little Tory friend; and after the visit of Delia 
and Betty, Annette was more cheerful. She 
looked forward to Delia’s birthday party, won- 
dering what the surprise could be, and began to 
realize that, after all, September first, when she 
could open Kathy’s package, was not so very far 
away. 


164 


A LITTLE MAID 


During the warm July days Mrs. Vincent and 
Annette spent many hours in the pleasant gar- 
den. In the early morning hours before the heat 
of the day began they worked among the neat 
rows of vegetables, pulling up weeds, or gather- 
ing peas and beans, young beets or fresh lettuce 
for the midday meal. Then later on Annette 
had her study hour on the shady porch. During 
the years when the British Army occupied New 
York the schools for American children were 
neglected, and many children were taught at 
home ; so Mrs. Vincent helped her little daughter 
with lessons in arithmetic, grammar and geog- 
raphy; and at the beginning of 1783 Annette had 
been eager to study the French language, greatly 
to her father’s satisfaction; and as Mr. Vincent 
could read and speak the French language he was 
always ready to help his little daughter over the 
puzzling verbs, and the pronunciation. 

Beside the lessons Annette was expected to 
perform certain household duties: to set the table 
for tea, to dust her own room and keep it in order, 
to mend her stockings, and often there were 
household errands for her to do; so with these 
many pleasant occupations, her dolls to play with 
and occasional sails in the Fleetwing, the July 


165 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

days passed quickly and Delia’s birthday, with 
its “ surprise ” for her guests, arrived and found 
Annette nearly consoled for Kathy’s absence. 

Americans were becoming more and more 
anxious for the departure of the British soldiers 
from New York. The families of Tories were 
leaving the city as rapidly as possible, but Sir 
Guy Carleton’s troops continued in their camps 
on the Bowery, while their officers occupied the 
finest mansions in the city. Annette had not 
seen Sir Guy Carleton since meeting him on the 
morning of her drive to Greenwich Village, and 
when she recalled her visit to the house of the 
British General and his friendly reception she 
wondered why so kindly a man could be an enemy 
to America’s rights. She often wondered if she 
would ever speak with him again, and if he re- 
membered that he had asked a little American 
girl to be his friend. 

The day of Delia’s birthday was a perfect sum- 
mer’s day. There was a cool little breeze coming 
from the harbor, and Annette could hardly wait 
for the hour to come for her to start for Broad 
Street, where Delia’s father lived. 

Lottie was to see that Annette reached the 
Davidson house safely, and call for her little 


166 


A LITTLE MAID 


mistress at twilight; and at two o’clock Annette 
stood on the front steps of the Cherry Street 
house all ready to start. She wore her best 
white muslin dress, and her white hat with its 
wreath of pink • rosebuds, her silk mitts, and 
open-work stockings, and she carried the pretty 
parasol. 

Lottie looked at her little mistress approvingly 
as they walked along the well-shaded streets. 
The faithful negress was sure that no other 
little girl at the party would compare with An- 
nette. 

They had turned into Wall Street when a 
clatter of horses’ hoofs, and the jingle of bridle- 
reins made Annette look up quickly, and there, 
almost beside her, rode Sir Guy and a number of 
English officers in their fine uniforms. 

There was a smile on the British General’s face 
as Annette curtseyed. It was not often that any 
American child greeted him, and he drew rein 
and said: 

“ Good-day. I am sure this is my little friend 
Annette Vincent.” 

“ Yes, Sir Guy. And I am on my way to a 
party,” responded Annette. 

“And you have not forgotten your promise. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


167 


I trust? ” said the General, holding his spirited 
horse with a firm hand. 

“No, indeed. But, if you please. Sir Guy, are 
you not going to take your soldiers back to Eng- 
land very soon? ” ventured the little girl, remem- 
bering that her father had said there could be no 
prosperity or freedom in New York until it was 
clear of British soldiers. 

For a moment Sir Guy’s smile disappeared, 
but he looked down kindly at the little girl as he 
responded: 

“As soon as may be we’ll set sail for England.” 

There was a little murmur of laughter among 
his officers as Annette declared with evident de- 
light : 

“ That will be splendid! ” and Sir Guy smiled 
again, as he said: “ But we will meet again be- 
fore I go. Miss America,” and with a word to his 
horse he rode off down the street toward the Bat- 
tery where the English flag still waved from the 
tall flagpole. 

“ My Ian’, Missie! How yo’ dar’ ter ’vise dat 
General,” gasped Lottie, looking with startled 
eyes at Annette. 

But the little girl made no response. She was 
thinking that if her Cousin John had heard her 


168 


A LITTLE MAID 


ask Sir Guy Carleton to leave New York that he 
would know that she was loyal to America. ‘‘ But 
of course John thinks that to be patriotic means 
more than to ask a question,” thought Annette, 
with so sober a face that Lottie was glad they 
were at the steps of the Davidson house where 
she could take leave of her little mistress and re- 
turn to Cherry Street. 

Delia was at the door and welcomed Annette, 
saying: 

“ Lay your hat and parasol on the hall table, 
Annette; Betty is waiting for you on the back 
porch,” and Delia turned to smile her greeting 
to the Van Steldt girls, twin sisters, of Delia’s 
own age. They were always dressed exactly 
alike, and thought it a fine game to be mistaken 
for each other. 

Annette ran out to the back porch where she 
found Betty seated on the top step, knitting in 
hand. It was evidently one of Betty’s days when 
she intended to be as “ grown-up ” as possible, 
for while the other girls were already playing a 
game of ‘‘ Hunt the Slipper ” in the garden, 
Betty looked down at them now and then as if 
amused by their childish play, and kept steadily 
on with her knitting. As Annette looked at the 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


169 


flying needles she did not wonder that Betty had 
knit the stockings worn by the Mason family for 
the past year. “ I believe Betty could knit in her 
sleep/’ Annette thought admiringly. 

But at the sight of Annette Betty jumped up, 
put her knitting away, and exclaimed: 

“ I am so glad you have come, Annette. Delia 
wants you and me to help her with her ‘ surprise.’ 
Did she tell you what it was to be? ” 

“ No, Delia has not said a word about it. 
What is it, Betty? ” Annette responded, looking 
expectantly at Betty. 


CHAPTER Xiy 

“ THE OTHER SIX ” 

“ You will know in a moment,” Betty replied, 
“ when the other six girls arrive.” 

“ ‘ The other six ’ ? ” repeated Annette ques- 
tioningly. 

“ Why, yes. You see, Delia has invited the 
Van Steldt twins, and Isabel Clifton and you 
and me, and with Delia that makes six,” re- 
sponded Betty. 

“ Oh, Betty! Of course it does,” Annette 
rejoined impatiently, “ but what has it to do with 
the ‘ surprise,’ and who are the ‘ other six ’ ? ” 

“ Well,” said Betty, rolling up her knitting 
and putting it carefully into the bag, “ I guess 
you will know in a minute for I’m sure I hear 
the ‘ other six,’ ” and before Annette could ask 
another question she heard a murmur of voices 
in the hall and Delia appeared in the doorway 
leading a little girl whom Annette was sure that 
she had never seen before. 

170 


A LITTLE MAID 


171 


“ Betty and Annette, here is my little friend 
Milly,” said Delia, smiling down at the thin- 
faced, solemn-eyed child whom she held by the 
hand and who bobbed her head in response to the 
introduction. Directly behind Delia stood five 
other little girls, none of them over ten years of 
age, and all of them dressed in ugly gowns of 
coarse grey cloth. They were all barefooted, 
and all had their hair cut short. Annette knew 
at once that these little girls had come from the 
asylum that cared for homeless children, and 
quickly realized something of what Delia’s “ sur- 
prise ” meant. 

Delia called to Isabel Clifton and the twins, 
and they came running up from the garden and 
then Delia made a little “ birthday speech,” as 
she called it, saying that she had thought of a 
splendid way to make a birthday remembered. 

“ Here are six little girls who all say that they 
never had a birthday,” said Delia, “ so I have 
asked them here to become acquainted with you 
six older girls who do have birthdaj^s. I am 
going to make a present of my own birthday to 
Milly,” and she smiled at the solemn-eyed little 
girl who clasped Delia’s hand a little more 
tightly, “ and then each of you girls can choose 


172 


A LITTLE MAID 

one of the other five for your birthday girl/’ and 
Delia looked at the little group as if she were 
sure she had given them a most wonderful sur- 
prise, as indeed she had. “ You choose first, 
Betty,” she added, and Betty stepped forward 
and clasped the hand of a freckle-faced little girl 
with red hair. 

“ I choose Rachel,” she announced promptly, 
and Rachel rewarded her with so grateful a smile 
that Betty was sure she had made a wise choice. 

Annette chose a small dark-eyed girl whose 
name was Nancy, and in a few moments Delia’s 
guests were all paired off, hand in hand. 

“ The other six,” as Betty had called Delia’s 
small visitors from the asylum, were at first 
rather shy and silent with their new friends, but 
as Delia and Milly led the way to the garden 
where Mrs. Davidson had spread a table with the 
birthday supper, their faces brightened and they 
began to ask eager questions. 

“ Do some girls have a birthday every year? ” 
Nancy whispered to Annette, as they took their 
places at the round table. 

“ Yes, of course. Everybody does,” replied 
Annette. 

Nancy shook her head soberly. “ Not in 


173 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

norphan ’sylums they don’t. Nobody has ’em 
there,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

“ Well, Nancy, you shall have a birthday every 
year. You shall have mine.” 

For a moment Nancy smiled radiantly at so 
delightful a possibility, but her face grew serious 
again and she shook her head. “ I wouldn’t be 
so mean as to take yours,” she said. 

“ I mean that we will both have the same day 
for our birthday,” Annette hastened to explain. 
“ You see, that is why Delia has asked us all here, 
to share birthdays. You and I will have ours 
together, on the first day of September! And 
Delia and IMilly will have theirs to-day; and the 
other girls just the same. When September first 
arrives you shall come and stay all day with 
me.” 

Nancy’s face brightened as she listened to what 
seemed to her so beautiful a plan; and as Mrs. 
Davidson was now serving the creamed oysters, 
fresh rolls and saucers heaped with raspberries to 
each of the little guests, Nancy did not at once 
respond. It seemed a marvellous feast to the 
“ other six,” and when ices in the shape of peaches 
were brought, and a big frosted cake with four- 
teen candles, there were exclamations of surprise 


174 


A LITTLE MAID 

and delight. For although the asylum furnished 
shelter and food and clothing for as many home- 
less children as possible, it had found it difficult to 
provide for the children even the necessities dur- 
ing the British occupation of New York, and 
“ the other six ” had never before tasted such 
dainties as were now set before them, nor had 
they ever before seen such a thing as a birthday 
cake with lighted candles. 

After each little guest had eaten a good-sized 
piece of the cake and finished her ice, Delia asked 
to be excused for a moment and ran into the 
house. In a few moments she was back again 
with a basket containing six neatly wrapped 
boxes. She gave one to Betty, to Annette, to 
each of the twins, and to Isabel Clifton, but as 
each of the girls received her box she saw writ- 
ten on it the name of the “ birthday girl ” she 
had chosen, and Annette quickly passed hers to 
Nancy, and Delia gave a similar one to Milly, as 
the other girls handed theirs on to their com- 
panions. 

“ Not to be opened until you get home, re- 
member,” said Delia; and “ the other six,” hold- 
ing the boxes very tightly, nodded and smiled as 
they promised. 


175 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

“ It’s a doll for each one,” Delia whispered to 
Annette. 

After supper the girls played “ Hide the 
Slipper ” for a time, and then sat together in a 
circle while Delia told a wonderful story of a 
family of robins that lived in the tall elm tree. 
Milly and Nancy instantly recalled the robins 
they had seen in trees near the asylum, and re- 
solved to watch them closely after this. Then 
Betty and Annette sang: 

** Listen, a secret we wUl sing, 

Of fairies a-dozen, all in a ring. 

Each with a thistle-bloom and a gold crown — 
This may you see as the sun goes down.^^ 

It was a gay little tune, and as Annette and 
Betty repeated the last two lines Delia and Isabel 
joined in, and in a moment the girls were all 
standing, and at a word from Delia they joined 
hands in a big ring and danced gaily around to 
the song. 

“ The other six ” had never before heard of 
fairies, and Annette, Betty, as well as Delia, 
Isabel and the twins, were soon happily explain- 
ing to their companion what they believed about 
fairies. 

At sunset Lottie appeared to take Annette 


176 


A LITTLE MAID 


home, and Mr. Davidson said he would drive the 
six little girls to the asylum. 

It was a happy group that gathered on the 
Davidsons’ porch to say their good-byes. 

“ The other six ” had their precious boxes 
again, and as each one took her place in the car- 
riage she was reminded of the date of the “ birth- 
day ” that had been bestowed on her, and they 
called back happily that they would surely re- 
member. 

“ I will see you soon, Nancy. I’ll ask my 
mother if you may not come soon and make me a 
visit,” Annette said, as she bade good-bye to her 
new friend. 

“ What is a ‘ visit ’ ? ” asked Nancy wonder- 
ingly; but there was not time to explain before 
the carriage started, so Annette called: 

“ I’ll tell you when I come to see you.” 

As Annette bade Delia good-night, she said: 
“ Your birthday has been beautiful, Delia, and 
the best ‘ surprise ’ anyone could have,” and 
each of Delia’s guests said the same, as they 
started for home with their thoughts filled with 
plans for the pleasure of the “ birthday girl ” 
whom Delia had given, as they all felt, into their 
special charge. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


177 


Annette was eager to reach home and tell her 
mother of Delia’s wonderful birthday party, and 
to ask if Nancy might not come and stay with 
her for a long visit. As Annette recalled the 
happy faces of ‘‘ the other six ” she was sure that 
Delia’s birthday party was the finest one possible 
to have ; and she began to think that Delia David- 
son was the finest girl she knew. 

“ Only she is so nearly grown up,” reflected 
Annette regretfully, as she remembered the four- 
teen candles on Delia’s birthday cake, and sent 
a longing thought to far-away Kathy whose 
birthday was so near her own. 

As for the six little girls from the asylum they 
could hardly believe their own good fortune when 
they discovered that the mysterious packages 
each held a beautiful china doll dressed in white 
dotted muslin. Although the dresses were all 
alike each doll wore a sash of a different color. 
Nancy’s doll had a blue sash, greatly to Nancy’s 
delight, as Annette had worn a sash of that color. 
The young visitors told the story of Delia’s birth- 
day party to many of the younger and older girls 
who knew no other home than the asylum, and 
these others began to think that Nancy and her 
companions were very fortunate; but the account 


178 


A LITTLE MAID 

of their happy visit and the six dolls brought a 
new interest to all the children in the asylum, 
and when on the following day baskets of food 
arrived at the asylum from the families of 
Delia’s friends there was a new cause for rejoic- 
ing. There was no doubt but that Delia had 
discovered a sure way to make her birthday re- 
membered happily. 

JNIr. and Mrs. Vincent listened with great in- 
terest as Annette described the “ surprise,” and 
told them of “ the other six ” who did not know 
the meaning of a birthday party. 

“And my girl is named Nancy, and she thinks 
she is eight years old. And her eyes are brown, 
and her hair is short ; and oh, Mother, dear, may 
I ask her to come and visit me? I told her I 
would,” said Annette eagerly. 

“ Why, yes, indeed. We will go to the asylum 
and see Nancy to-morrow,” her mother agreed 
cheerfully. “ I think Mrs. Davidson must be 
very proud of her daughter,” she added, as An- 
nette explained that Delia had made the plan 
when Mrs. Davidson had told her that she could 
choose her own birthday present. 

“Yes, and Betty Mason said that when her 
birthday came she would ask ‘ the other six and 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


179 


Isabel Clifton is going to have them on her birth- 
day, and so are the Van Steldt twins,” responded 
Annette. 

“And I suppose my little daughter will ask 
them on September first,” said Mrs. Vincent, 
just as Annette had hoped that she would. 

“ Yes, Mother, dear. And may we go early 
to-morrow morning and bring Nancy home with 
us?” 

Mrs. Vincent promised, and Annette went 
happily off to bed. It had been a wonderful 
day, she thought, as she recalled her meeting with 
Sir Guy Carleton, the good time at the birthday 
party, and last of all her mother’s promise that 
Nancy should come for a visit. 

“ Nancy is the best part of it all,” she decided. 
“ It will be splendid to have a little girl stay right 
here in my own house with me.” 


CHAPTER XV 


NANCY RUNS AWAY 

“ Mother, Nancy does not know what a 
‘ visit ’ is,” said Annette the next morning, as she 
and her mother entered the wide-seated chaise 
for their drive to the asylum. 

“We must do our best then to have her dis- 
cover that a real visit is one of the nicest things 
in the world,” Mrs. Vincent responded. 

“ But all visits are ‘ real,’ ” said Annette, and 
her mother shook her head laughingly. 

“No, my dear. The British soldiers who are 
in New York are visitors, but not ‘ real ’ visitors, 
because we do not want them and will rejoice to 
see them go. What I mean by a ‘ real ’ visit is 
to have someone come whom you are glad to 
welcome and for whom you wish to do everything 
in your power to make them happy.” 

“ I see; and I can do lots of things for Nancy,” 
declared Annette. 

There was no trouble in regard to Nancy leav- 
ing the asylum for the visit of a week with the 

180 


181 


A LITTLE MAID 

Vincents. The overworked matron declared 
that she wished all her charges could be asked for 
such a visit; and Nancy, holding the precious 
doll, was lifted into the chaise beside her new 
friends. 

“ This is the beginning of your visit, Nancy,’’ 
Annette explained, after she had introduced the 
silent little girl to her mother. “A ‘ visit ’ means 
that you go and stay with friends in their house, 
and have a lovely time ; a real visit, I mean,” she 
concluded. 

Nancy did not speak. She sat very close to 
Annette, and now and then a little smile crept 
over her thin face. She wished that Milly, who 
slept beside her each night, might have come with 
her on this new and wonderful ride that was to 
end in a “ visit,” but not until the chaise stopped 
in front of the Cherry Street house and Mrs. 
Vincent said: “ Hop out, children; and Annette, 
tell Lottie to give Nancy a glass of milk and some 
bread and honey,” did the little asylum girl feel 
sure that such a beautiful thing as to stay with 
Annette was really true. 

Nancy drank the milk thirstily, and Lottie 
again filled her glass; after she had eaten the 
bread and honey Annette led her up-stairs. A 


182 


A LITTLE MAW 

second bed had been put in Annette’s chamber, 
where Nancy was to sleep, and on this bed lay a 
pretty white cotton dress with little pink rosebuds 
woven in it, and dainty undergarments and white 
stockings, while on the floor stood a pair of An- 
nette’s partly worn slippers that Lottie had 
blacked and polished until they looked like new. 

“ This is your bed, Nancy, and those are your 
clothes,” said Annette eagerly, “ and you are to 
put them right on.” 

‘‘ I’ll wait for you on the back porch, Nancy,” 
said Annette, and with a smiling nod to her little 
guest, she ran down-stairs. 

It was not long before Nancy, still holding her 
doll as if fearing it was too valuable a possession 
to lose sight of for a moment, appeared on the 
porch; but it was a new Nancy. Dressed in the 
pretty gown and neat shoes, her short hair washed 
and brushed until it lay in little waves, her cheeks 
flushed and her eyes shining with happiness it 
was no wonder that Annette ran to meet her ex- 
claiming; 

“Why, Nancy! You are just as pretty as 
you can be,” and kissed the little girl on each 
cheek. 

It was the beginning of the happiest week 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


183 


Nancy had ever known. To have all the milk 
you wanted to drink, with fresh berries and hot 
rolls every morning, and a jar in the kitchen that, 
no matter how many cookies you took out, always 
had more spicy molasses snaps ready to be eatp«7 
to play in the beautiful garden with Annett^ and 
even to ride to Greenwich Village to see 
Grandma Vincent, all these things made the little 
asylum girl feel that the world was a much pleas- 
anter place than she had thought; and when at 
the end of the week Annetfb, told Nancy that she 
was to make a longer stay it would have been 
difficult to tell which of the two liftle girls seemed 
the happier. \ 

“ You are to stay u>itil after ou^ birthday,” 
said Annette, “ and your hair is no^t to be cut 
while you are here. Isn’t that splendid ! ” 

Nancy nodded, but remained silent.! It seemed 
to Annette that she had never known' a little girl 
who had so little to say. 

“ Why don’t you talk more, Nancy? You 
don’t talk half as much as I do,” and Annette 
looked at her new friend a little anxiously. 

“ ‘ Little girls should be seen and not heard,’ ” 
responded Nancy, gravely, repeating one of the 
asylum maxims she had so often heard. 


184 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Oh, Nancy, that isn’t what my mother 
thinks,” and Nancy listened eagerly to Annette’s 
assurance that there was no possible harm in 
talking, and before September arrived she had 
nearly forgotten all the asylum rules that had 
made life so difficult for a little girl. Nancy’s 
hair now waved about her forehead and ears; she 
had gained in weight and was no longer the sober- 
faced little girl whom Annette had first seen at 
Delia’s party. Mr. and Mrs. Vincent had grown 
very fond of their little visitor, and as Annette’s 
birthday drew near they often talked over 
Nancy’s future, for they both felt that it was 
hardly possible to let the little girl return to the 
asylum. ^ 

Annette and Nancy were told that they could 
do whatever they pleased to celebrate their birth- 
day and Nancy had instantly exclaimed: “ Could 
I ask Milly to spend the day? ” and Mrs. Vincent 
had smilingly agreed. 

“ Why can we not have Delia’s party all over 
again? ” asked Annette, and it was decided to do 
this just as Grandma Vincent and “ Lion ” drove 
up to the front door. But when Annette told 
her grandmother of the plan for the birthday 
party Madame Vincent shook her head. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 185 

I have a much better idea. I am going to 
have a party myself on the first day of Septem- 
ber, and I have already invited Delia, Betty, 
Isabel and the Van Steldt twins, with the five 
little asylum girls, and I expect you and Nancy 
to come over the evening before and stay the 
night,” she said, smiling down at Nancy’s happy 
face. 

Both the little girls thought this a much finer 
plan than their own, but as the time drew near to 
start for Greenwich Village Annette was so quiet 
and serious that Mrs. Vincent became troubled 
by her little daughter’s sober face, and Nancy be- 
gan to wonder if Annette was tired of her. The 
more Nancy thought about it the more sure she 
was that Annette no longer cared for her com- 
pany. 

“Annette looks at me without smiling, and 
when I say anything about September first she 
sighs and looks unhappy ; prob’ly she wants me to 
go back to the ’sylum before then and is too good 
to say so,” decided the homeless little girl, and on 
the dav before Mr. Vincent was to drive Annette 
and Nancy to Greenwich Village Nancy made 
up her mind that she must go back to the 
asylum. 


186 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ I guess I better go without talkin’ ’bout it,” 
decided the homeless child, “ then when Annette 
finds I’m gone she’ll be glad.” 

This was no easy decision for Nancy. To leave 
this place where everybody was kind, where little 
girls were never scolded, but praised, and even 
kissed; where there were such wonderful things 
to eat and such pretty things to wear — to leave 
all this, and, hardest of all, not to see Ajinette 
again, and to return to the asylum where little 
girls were “ seen but not heard,” was a great 
sacrifice for Nancy. 

“ But they will take me back to the ’sylum after 
the birthday, so I might as well go before, then 
Annette can have it all for herself,” thought 
Nancy, and as night approached she made up 
her mind to slip away as soon as Annette had 
gone to sleep. 

The little girls went up to their room early that 
night. Annette was very silent. She was 
thinking that in two more days Nancy would 
have to return to the asylum, and the thought 
made her unhappy. She had asked her mother 
that very morning if she might not ask Nancy to 
make a longer visit, and Mrs. Vincent had said, 
“ No, do not speak to Nancy about it,” so An- 



SHE WOULD CREEP OUT OF THE HOUSE 



1- . ' f - ■ ». "Sl^i" 1 




187 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

nette felt sure that after the birthday visit with 
Grandma she would have to say good-bye to 
Nancy and the thought made her unhappy. 
She realized that the little asylum girl had grown 
very dear to her, “ even more dear than Kathy,” 
she acknowledged. 

“ Good-night, Annette. Dear Annette,” said 
Nancy as she sat up in the little bed and looked 
at the shadowy little figure in the bed so near 
her own. But Annette did not respond. She 
was nearly ready to sob out her unhappiness 
that Nancy must return to the asylum, so after 
a moment’s silence, Nancy, with a little sigh of 
disappointment, laid her head on the pillow and 
waited for Annette to go to sleep. Nancy’s doll 
lay beside her; the ugly grey cloth dress that she 
had worn when she came to the Cherry Street 
house hung in the closet where she could easily 
reach it. Her plan was made; she would slip 
on the grey dress, take the doll and creep out of 
the house and make her way back to the asylum. 
It was all she could do, she thought, for Annette, 
who had been so good to her. 

An hour later and Nancy had carried out part 
of her plan. She had put on her grey dress and, 
with her doll closely clasped in her arm, had 


188 


A LITTLE MAID 

made her way down-stairs to the back door and 
out to the street without being discovered. She 
ran along the shadowy street unnoticed by the 
occasional passers-by. But Nancy had not the 
slightest idea of where the asylum was. The 
building where homeless children were sheltered 
stood on the outskirts of the city. Nancy’s only 
thought was to get as far from Annette as pos- 
sible. 

“ When she wakes up and finds I’m gone then 
she will be happy again,” Nancy thought, with a 
little sob over all she was leaving behind her. 

She turned from one street to another, stop- 
ping now and then to hide behind a tree until 
some little group of people had passed her, and 
finally growing so tired and footsore that she 
resolved to rest, and looked about her anxiously 
and found herself in front of a fine brick man-, 
sion, whose broad steps came to the sidewalk. 
There were lights in the upper rooms, but the 
doorway was dark, and Nancy decided it would 
be the very place to rest, and her bare feet made 
no noise as she slowly mounted the steps and 
curled up in the darkest corner of the doorway. 


CHAPTEK XVI 


NANCY VINCENT 

Nancy was very tired, and although she had 
meant to rest only for a moment she at once 
went fast asleep, and did not awaken until the 
next morning when the servant of Adjutant- 
General De Lancey opened the front door and 
stared in surprise at the frightened child who 
scrambled to her feet and would have fled down 
the steps had the man not grasped her by the 
arm. 

“ What are you doing here? ” he questioned. 
Before Nancy could reply a voice called from 
the hallway, “Who is your early visitor, Jacobs?” 
and General Oliver De Lancey himself, in the 
fine uniform of a British general, stood in the 
doorway. 

“ Who is the child? ” he asked, and then said: 
“ Whoever she is, take her into the house, Jacobs, 
and give her a good breakfast. Tell your wife 
to take care of her and find out where she be- 
longs,” and the General hurried down the steps, 

189 


190 


A LITTLE MAID 

while Jacobs led Nancy, still too frightened to 
speak, into the house. 

It was an hour later before Annette awoke to 
find herself alone in the pleasant chamber, but 
the fact that Nancy was not in bed did not alarm 
her. She supposed Nancy had dressed quietly 
and gone down-stairs, and not until she was 
ready for breakfast and had called Nancy’s name 
from the back porch and run up-stairs to make 
sure that the little girl was not there did she begin 
to wonder what had befallen her; but when Mrs. 
Vincent discovered that Nancy’s grey dress and 
doll were gone, although none of the things given 
to the little asylum girl during her visit had dis- 
appeared, she was sure Nancy had returned to 
her former home. 

“ But what for? ” Annette questioned tear- 
fully. “ We were to go to Grandma’s this very 
day, and to-morrow was our birthday. Why 
would Nancy want to leave us? ” 

Mrs. Vincent could not answer this question, 
and did her best to comfort Annette, who did not 
want her breakfast and could hardly wait for her 
father to get ready to drive to the asylum and 
bring Nancy back, or discover why she did not 
wish to remain at the Cherry Street house. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


191 


Annette was in the chaise before her father 
and mother reached the street, and as they drove 
along her mother told her of a birthday surprise 
they had planned for the two little girls. 

It was all settled for Nancy to live with us 
until she was eighteen years of age,” said Mrs. 
Vincent, “ and she was to be called Nancy Vin- 
cent, and to be taught to become a useful woman. 
W e were going to tell you to-morrow morning.” 

But Annette could not wait for her mother to 
say another word. Her face brightened and she 
exclaimed happily: “Just as if Nancy were my 
real sister! Oh, Mother, what a splendid birth- 
day present 1 ” 

“ But it is evident that Nancy does not want 
to stay with us ; she has returned to the asylum,” 
Mrs. Vincent reminded Annette. 

“ But there is some other reason. I know 
Nancy wanted to stay with us,” Annette insisted 
so eagerly that Mr. and Mrs. Vincent were soon 
convinced that their little daughter was right, 
although the}^ could not understand Nancy’s dis- 
appearance. When they discovered that the 
little girl was not at the asylum they became sure 
that Nancy must be at the Cherry Street house, 
and the matron of the asylum assured them that 


192 


A LITTLE MAID 


Nancy would not go far from a place where she 
had been so contented and hax3py, and they 
turned toward home, confident of finding the 
missing girl. 

But Nancy was being taken excellent care of 
at the De Lancey mansion by Mrs. J acobs, who 
had decided that the little Avaif was dumb, as 
Nancy had not spoken since the puzzled servants 
had taken her to their quarters in the rear of the 
house. She would nod soberly, or shake her 
head when they questioned her, and held her doll 
closely Avhen Mrs. Jacobs told her to sit in the 
back garden, “ where I can keep my eye on you,” 
said the perplexed Avoman. 

But as the day passed Nancy became more and 
more unhappy, and when Mrs. Jacobs called 
her to come in for her dinner she turned and ran 
through the garden toward the street, and Avas 
nearly run over by tAvo soldiers on horseback, 
who quickly drew rein, and one of them ex- 
claimed: 

“ ’Tis the child I found on my steps this morn- 
ing,” and De Lancey looked questioningly down 
at the forlorn little girl. 

John Van Arsdale, hurrying along the street 
toward Bowling Green, Avondered to himself 


193 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

what had caused Adjutant-General De Lancey 
and his lieutenant to draw rein so suddenly, and 
then he saw Nancy and sprang forward. 

“ What are you doing here, Nancy? ” he asked. 
“ I have just come from Cherry Street and they 
are searching everywhere for you.” 

“ Take the girl back where she belongs,” said 
De Lancey, and rode on. John looked after him 
scornfully. For although De Lancey wore a 
British uniform, he had been born in America, 
and was therefore despised by loyal Americans 
because of his allegiance to the English king. 

As John hurried Nancy toward home she 
sobbed out her belief that Annette did not want 
her to stay for the birthday party, and told of 
spending the night in the doorway of the De 
Lancey mansion. 

It would be difficult to say which of the two 
little girls was the happier when Nancy appeared 
at the door of the Cherry Street house and An- 
nette came running to welcome her, while John 
told the story of Nancy’s disappearance, adding 
a word as to his opinion of Oliver De Lancey. 
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent now told the little girl of 
their wish that she should henceforth make her 
home with them, and when Annette told Nancy 


194 


A LITTLE MAID 

that she had been afraid that after the birthday 
Nancy would return to the asylum the last doubt 
left the child’s heart and she chattered happily 
as the two little girls ran up-stairs to make ready 
for the ride to Greenwich Village. Nancy never 
again doubted her welcome in her new home. 

Just before leaving her room that morning, 
Annette opened the lower drawer of the highboy 
and took out the package Kathy had sent her. 

“ I will take this and open it to-morrow, just as 
Kathy asked me to,” she said, and the little box 
was put carefully into the bag Annette was tak- 
ing to Greenwich Village. 

No more was said of Nancy’s runaway ad- 
venture, and none of the happy party who ar- 
rived at the “ Farm in the Woods ” on the fol- 
lowing day ever knew that the smiling, happy 
Nancy, who they were told was now to be called 
Nancy Vincent, and was to live in the Vincent 
family, had spent an entire night on the steps of 
the De Lancey house. 

Early on the morning of September first An- 
nette crept from her bed in the big front cham- 
ber at Grandma Vincent’s house and unwrapped 
the little package Kathy had given her and 
found a beautiful beaded purse. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 195 

“ Oh, this is the very one Kathy asked me to 
set a stitch in that day I was at her house, and I 
M^ouldn’t because I thought she was making it 
for Sir Guy Carleton, and ’twas for me all the 
time,” thought Annette, as she looked at her 
friend’s lovely gift. On one side of the purse 
the letter “A” was worked in gold beads, while 
on the other side was a wonderful pink rose. In- 
side the purse was a slip of white paper on 
which was written: ‘‘ To Annette with Kathy’s 
love.” 

While Nancy and Annette were eating break- 
fast “ Lion ” kept running to a closed door and 
barking angrily. 

“ What is the matter with ‘ Lion,’ Grandma? ” 
questioned Annette, but Grandma only said that 
“ Lion ” was jealous, a reply that puzzled both 
Annette and Nancy until Marrilla opened the 
closet door and two little fat white dogs came 
jumping out. 

“ Oh, Grandma ! ” exclaimed Annette, and 
when Madame Vincent smiled and said, “ Yes, 
my dears, they are your birthday presents,” in- 
stantly Annette picked up one of the white pup- 
pies and Nancy the other, while “ Lion ” ran to 
Mrs. Vincent, as if expecting a word of comfort. 


196 


A LITTLE MAID 


Before the little girls could decide upon names 
for their new possessions there was the sound of 
wheels on the driveway and they all ran to wel- 
come the other guests. Milly was delighted to 
see Nancy again, and the two little girls ran off 
to the garden to tell each other all that had hap- 
pened since Nancy left the asylum. Then An- 
nette led the way to the stables and introduced 
all her friends to “ Sir Guy,’’ the colt, and the 
September day passed quickly, and when late in 
the afternoon Grimm announced that the big 
wagon was ready to take the girls back to New 
York the little white dogs had not yet been 
named. 

As each of her little guests bade Madame Vin- 
cent good-bye and thanked her for their pleasant 
day she handed each girl a small package. “ To 
remember the Vincent girls’ birthday by,” she 
said smilingly, and her guests curtseyed again, 
and again thanked her. Even the awkward little 
girls from the asylum did their best to imitate 
the graceful manners of “ the other six.” 

As the big wagon with its happy passengers 
rolled along Greenwich Lane and then home- 
ward along the river road the girls suggested 
names for the little white dogs and before Bowl- 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


197 


ing Green was reached Nancy’s dog was named 
“ Star ” and Annette’s was named “ Glory,” be- 
cause Delia had declared the puppy to be a glori- 
ous dog. 

Each of the asylum girls was to stay that night 
with her special friend, and Grimm left them all 
safely at their homes. When he drove up to 
the Cherry Street house the stars were already 
shining in the clear September sky and Nancy 
was so sleepy that Grimm lifted her from the 
wagon and carried her, with “ Star,” her doll and 
the little package that she held so tightly, up the 
steps. 

As she again found herself in the pleasant 
chamber from which she had fled the previous 
night, never expecting to return, Nancy looked 
about with grateful eyes. 

“ Nancy Vincent. Nancy Vincent,” she whis- 
pered happily. Annette heard the whisper, and 
she too smiled happily, well pleased with the gifts 
that her eleventh birthday had brought. She 
named them over as she made ready for bed. 
“ The lovely purse that Kathy made on purpose 
for me, and Nancy to stay right here till she 
grows up, and the pretty work-bag, and 

Glory ” and before she had really finished 

the list her eyes closed and she was fast asleep. 


CHAPTER XVII 


ANNETTE IN PERIL 

Annette^ I want you to tell me something! ” 

It was a week after the birthday party at 
Greenwich Village and Annette and Nancy were 
under the big tree near the landing. “ Star ” 
and “ Glory ” were playing happily near by. A 
large book rested on Annette’s lap, at which 
Nancy had been looking intently, but as she asked 
the question she looked anxiously up at the older 
girl. 

Annette nodded soberly. Since the discovery 
that poor little Nancy could not read Annette 
was eager to teach her, and to answer any ques- 
tion Nancy might ask. Annette was quite sure 
that a girl of eleven years was very nearly a 
young lady when compared to a little girl only 
eight years old. 

“Annette,” and Nancy’s voice grew even more 
serious than at first, “ what is a ‘ patriot ’? Your 
Cousin John is always talking about being a 
‘ patriot.’ What is it? Am I one? ” 

For a moment Annette was puzzled as to the 

198 


A LITTLE MAID 


199 


reply she would make. She was quite sure that 
she knew the true meaning of the word. To 
Annette “ patriot ’’ meant a person who was 
loyal to America and its good, and who was 
willing to suffer, as her own father had done, to 
protect his country from an enemy. But she 
did not know exactly how to explain this to 
Nancy. 

“ Well, Nancy, you see, you were born in 
America, so that makes you a patriot,” she be- 
gan, and then remembering Oliver De Lancey, 
who had turned against his native land, and 
Benedict Arnold, who had betrayed his country 
to the enemy, she added quickly: “ There are al- 
ways two kinds, Nancy. Good Americans are 
patriots, and bad Americans are traitors,” and 
Nancy was quite ready to accept this explana- 
tion. 

This morning they were waiting for John to 
come sailing up to the landing in the Fleetwing 
and take them for a cruise about the harbor. 
Lottie had promised to lock after “ Star ” and 
“ Glory ” while the little girls were away, and 
to protect the little white dogs from the ill- 
tempered cat, Matilda,” who refused to make 
friends with the newcomers. 


200 


A LITTLE MAID 


Annette had just closed the book from which 
she had been giving Nancy her reading lesson 
when the Fleetwing came sailing up to the land- 
ing. 

“A fine breeze,” John declared, as he helped 
the girls on board, “ and I have a message for 
Captain James Duncan at Governor’s Island, 
so we’ll sail straight down if this fair wind will 
hold.” John smiled a little mischievously at 
Annette’s puzzled look. 

“ Why shouldn’t I call on Captain Duncan if 
you can visit Sir Guy Carleton? ” he asked. 
“ They are both British officers.” 

Annette’s face flushed. “ You know I had to 
go, John,” she responded quickly, and was about 
to remind her cousin of the promise the British 
General had made her when John continued: 
“As it happens, I am not going as a visitor. I 
have a letter for Captain Duncan from Governor 
George Clinton himself.” 

This was astonishing news and Annette’s face 
brightened to think that she should be in the very 
boat that carried a message from the Governor 
of New York. 

“What is it, John?” she asked eagerly. 

John shook his head. “ Squire Kipp did not 


201 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

say. He only gave me the sealed envelope and 
bade me take good care to deliver it to Captain 
Duncan before noon,” John answered; “ but 
likely enough ’tis to tell the Britisher to make 
ready to clear the island at once. ’Tis weeks 
now since Sir Guy had word to leave this harbor, 
but his men and ships are still here.” 

Annette could not keep her eyes from the 
white paper that showed its edge above the top 
of John’s pocket. “What would happen,” she 
wondered, “ if John should lose that letter? ” 
And while each little girl’s thoughts were busy 
with these things John’s eyes were fixed ahead on 
the shores of the historic Governor’s Island, that 
had been purchased from the Indians in 1637 by 
the West India Company, and which had been 
captured by the British forces in 1776, and was 
still held by them. John was well pleased to be 
the bearer of what he was sure was an important 
message, and now and then he would touch his 
pocket to make sure of the safety of the letter 
that Squire Kipp, a friend of Washington, had 
intrusted to him. 

The September morning had been warm and 
sunny, but as the Fleetwing made its way toward 
Governor’s Island a cold wind came over the 


202 


A LITTLE MAID 


water, and the little girls were glad to wrap their 
blue flannel capes about them, and John moved 
quickly forward to reef the big sail. As he 
started up his foot caught in a coil of rope and 
before he could save himself he had pitched for- 
ward, the letter flying from his pocket as He fell. 

Annette sprang after it as it fluttered toward 
her and grasped it just before it went over the 
boat’s side, but the Fleetwing at that moment 
keeled over dangerously, and Annette lost her 
balance and fell into the water. 

John had now struggled to his feet and cleared 
himself of the entangling rope. He hardly 
realized the great danger his little cousin was in 
until he saw that Nancy was hanging over the 
side of the boat holding with both hands to An- 
nette’s skirt, which the little girl had managed 
to grasp as her friend fell into the water. 

It did not take John long to pull his cousin into 
the boat. She was still grasping the folded paper 
with its big seals, and even in her perilous tumble 
overboard, Annette had managed to keep the 
letter out of the water. Nancy had been so 
quick in grabbing at Annette’s skirts and had 
held on so valiantly that, beyond a thorough 
wetting, she was none the worse for her successful 


OF OLD NEW YORK 203 

effort to save the Governor’s letter to Captain 
Duncan. 

For a moment the little girls and John looked 
at each other in astonishment and then John, 
taking the letter from Annette’s grasp, ex- 
claimed: “ How did you think to save it, An- 
nette? ” 

“ You said it was to make the British soldiers 
leave New York,” Annette answered, “ but I 
would have been drowned, letter and all, if Nancy 
had not grabbed my skirt and held me up.” 

“ You must get out of those wet things. I 
have some old clothes in the cabin. Go in and 
put them on and we can dry your clothes,” said 
John hastily, feeling a little ashamed of his own 
clumsiness that had come so near to the loss of an 
important paper and endangered Annette’s life. 

Annette and Nancy hurried into the tiny cabin 
and Annette was glad indeed to take off her wet 
clothing and slip into the old woolen blouse and 
trousers that she found rolled up on a shelf. 
For a moment both the little girls forgot the peril 
Annette had just escaped as they laughed at 
the queer little figure in the loose clumsy gar- 
ments. 

“ You saved my life, Nancy,” Annette said 


204 


A LITTLE MAID 


soberly, as she gathered up her skirts to take 
them on deck to dry, — “ truly you did. If you 
had not held tight I would have gone under the 
water.” 

Nancy looked at her gratefully. The little 
asylum girl was even more happy than when told 
that her name was to be Nancy Vincent, for she 
had at last been able to do a service for Annette. 

When the two girls came out of the tiny cabin 
John’s face was very grave. He did not even 
smile at the queer little figure Annette presented 
in his old garments. He had been thinking of 
his own unfairness toward his little cousin be- 
cause of her friendship for Tory Down’s daugh- 
ter, and her call to apologize to Sir Guy Carleton, 
and now Annette had saved him from he knew 
not what punishment and disgrace by rescuing 
Governor Clinton’s letter that had been intrusted 
to bim. So now John realized that he must own 
to his cousin that she had performed an important 
service. 

“ You were mighty brave, Annette, to risk a 
fall overboard to save that letter,” he said, as his 
cousin took her old place beside him. 

“ But it would have been dreadful to have lost 
it,” Annette responded. 


205 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

‘‘ Indeed it would. For me, surely, and for all 
New York, for that matter. Why, Annette, 
you were as brave as an American soldier,” de- 
clared J ohn handsomely. “ I’ll never doubt your 
being loyal after this.” 

Annette flushed at her cousin’s approval. She 
felt it was well worth a tumble into New York 
harbor to have John acknowledge that she was 
a loyal American, but she did not forget that but 
for Nancy’s quick thought and ready help the 
letter would have been lost, and she said quickly: 

“ It was really Nancy who saved the letter, 
John. If she had not held on to my skirt I 
would have been drowned.” 

‘‘ Nancy was plucky,” declared John approv- 
ingly, and now they all talked over this unex- 
pected adventure, and the little girls were well 
pleased when John said that it was fortunate for 
him that they had been on board. 

They landed at the wharf at Governor’s 
Island, where British officers and men were still 
on guard, but John had no trouble in finding 
Captain Duncan and delivering his message, 
while Annette and Nancy remained on board the 
Fleetwing. 

As they sailed home, John said that he believed 


206 


A LITTLE MAID 

that it would now be a very short time before 
the English soldiers set sail for their own coun- 
try. “ The English captain was very polite to 
me,” the boy said. “ He no longer sneers at a 
message from an American governor of the State 
of New York,” John added proudly. 

As their boat passed the Battery, Annette 
looked up at the British flag floating from the 
tall flagpole. 

“ I’d like to be the one to pull down that flag 
when Sir Guy Carleton and his soldiers embark 
for England,” declared John, as he, too, gazed 
at the emblem of America’s conquered foe. 

“ Perhaps you will,” said Annette seriously, 
and a few weeks later, with Annette’s help, John 
Van Arsdale did indeed take down that very 
flag, although on the September day as the cous- 
ins gazed up at the flag neither of them would 
have believed that such wonderful good fortune 
could befall them. 

As Annette’s mother listened to the story of 
the rescue of Governor Clinton’s letter and heard 
of Nancy’s quickness and courage in springing to 
Annette’s assistance and holding her until John 
could draw Annette into safety, Mrs. Vincent 
declared that she was proud of both the girls, but 


OF OLD NEW YORK 207 

it was Nancy to whom she gave the greatest 
praise. 

“ You were very brave and strong, dear child, 
to hold on so courageously. I wonder you were 
not pulled overboard,” she said, drawing Nancy 
closer and kissing her flushed cheek. ‘‘ If you 
had not been with Annette I hardly dare think 
what might have befallen her.” 

Annette listened happily to her mother’s ap- 
proval of Nancy. “ It’s good luck to have 
Nancy live with us, isn’t it. Mother, dear? ” she 
said, and Mrs. Vincent smilingly agreed. 

“ John said that by saving the Governor’s 
letter I had served the American government,” 
Annette added, “ and now John believes me to 
be a loyal little maid, even if I am Kathy Down’s 
true friend, and if I was polite to Sir Guy 
Carleton.” 

Of course you are loyal as well as brave, my 
dear, and your cousin has had proof of it,” re- 
sponded Mrs. Vincent, greatly to Annette’s satis- 
faction, and as the two little girls started off to 
tell Lottie of the day’s adventures, she thought 
to herself that it was indeed good fortune that 
had given Annette so unselfish a friend as Nancy. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


WASHINGTON PRAISES ANNETTE 

September passed quickly, and October came 
with its crimson leaves and cool days, and An- 
nette and Nancy now spent many happy hours 
in the big pleasant kitchen, where Lottie was 
only too glad to teach them how to mix the 
dough for sugar cookies, to roll it out on the 
smooth cake-board and cut the rounds or squares 
that came out of the oven crisp and spicy. 

Every day Mr. Vincent brought news of the 
movements of British troops preparing to em- 
bark for England, and the household of the 
Cherry Street home, like that of every American 
household in New York, waited eagerly for the 
day when General George Washington and his 
loyal soldiers should again march triumphantly 
into the city from which they had been driven by 
the superior forces of the English in 1776. 

Although many things had happened since 
Merchant Down sailed away for Bermuda, An- 
nette had not forgotten her promise to write to 

208 


209 


A LITTLE MAID 

her little Tory friend, and she had written a 
number of pages telling Kathy of Delia's birth- 
day surprise, of “ the other six,” and of Nancy, 
and the fact that the little asylum girl was hence- 
forth to be called Nancy Vincent, and this letter 
was to be finished and sealed as soon as John 
should bring Annette word of any vessel leaving 
New York for Bermuda. 

Annette waited hopefully for a letter from 
Kathy. She was sure that Kathy had not for- 
gotten her, and that a letter would arrive per- 
haps when she least expected it. 

But October passed, and November, with its 
chilly rains and cold winds, came and there was 
no letter from Kathy, and the British troops still 
lingered, but Annette heard her father say that 
at last a day had been set for their departure. 
“ The greatest day New York has ever seen will 
be Thursday, November the twenty-fifth, 1783,” 
Mr. Vincent declared, “ for that is the day when 
General George Washington and Governor 
Clinton will arrive in New York, and when the 
British fleet will sail out of the harbor.” 

Annette listened eagerly to all her father said 
about the preparations being made to welcome 
General Washington, and Mr. Vincent promised 


210 A LITTLE MAID 

his little daughter that she should see the iSne 
procession when it marched from the Bowery to 
the Battery. Grandma Vincent would drive in 
from Greenwich Village for the great celebra- 
tion. Every day saw the Tory inhabitants leav- 
ing New York with their movable possessions, 
and exiled Americans returning to the city. 

Annette and Nancy were busy making “ Union 
Cockades,” of black and white ribbon, that all 
loyal Americans were to wear, with a sprig of 
laurel, on their left breast and on their hats on 
the da}^ when they should welcome Washington 
to New York. Delia and Betty came to the 
Cherry Street house one afternoon a few days 
before the great day, and Delia, as usual, had a 
plan to suggest. 

“ I think all the children at the asylum ought 
to have a fine dinner on the day the British leave 
the city, and all be dressed up and brought to 
Bowling Green to see General Washington and 
his troops, then they will always remember it,” 
and Delia looked from Betty to Annette as if 
sure they could settle the question by their ap- 
proval, but it was Nancy who spoke first. 

“ Oh, that would be splendid! You girls don’t 
know what it is to live in a ’sylum ” Nancy 


211 


OF OLD NEW. YORK 

stopped suddenly. She was afraid she would cry 
if she told these kind, pleasant and friendly girls 
about the “ other ” girls who had no home or 
pleasures, and about whose happiness no one 
seemed to think except Delia Davidson and An- 
nette. 

“ How could we manage it, Delia? ” said 
Betty. “ Only this morning my father said that 
the Tories were taking everything out of the city, 
and that provisions were hard to get.” 

“ Oh, Betty, of course we can give the asylum 
girls a good dinner,” declared Annette eagerly. 
“We can ask everybody to help us, to make cake 
and buns, to cook a chicken. Everybody who 
has a little girl of his own will want to help, I am 
sure they will.” 

“ Yes,” Betty agreed soberly, taking her 
knitting from the bag that she always carried 
over her arm. “And I suppose we can help dress 
them up. I have knit six pairs of good stockings 
since your birthday, Annette, and Nancy can 
give those to the six girls she likes best in the 
asylum,” and Betty smiled at Nancy’s exclama- 
tion of delight. 

Delia declared that there was no time to lose 
if they were to carry out this plan. 


212 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ I’ll hurry home and ask my father to go to 
the asylum and tell them our plan, and ask my 
mother to help,” she said, and Betty agreed to do 
the same, while Annette and Nancy, after bidding 
their friends good-bye, ran to find Mrs. Vincent 
and tell her of Delia’s wonderful plan for No- 
vember twenty-fifth. 

“ It will mean a good deal of work, and you 
girls must do your part,” said Mrs. Vincent. 

“ Yes, indeed we will. Oh, Mother, isn’t 
Delia splendid? ” responded Annette. 

It was finally decided that Delia, Betty, Isa- 
belle Clifton, Annette and Nancy, each one to 
be accompanied by one of the asylum girls, should 
go from house to house, tell her plan for Novem- 
ber twenty-fifth and ask the assistance of the 
families upon whom they called to furnish a good 
dinner for the asylum children, and suitable cloth- 
ing for them to wear for the great day. 

Annette and Nancy, with Milly as their com- 
panion, started off on their errand the next morn- 
ing. Milly was brought to the Cherry Street 
house and both Annette and Nancy were eager 
to dress Milly in such of their own garments as 
she could wear. A pair of the stockings Betty 
had knit just fitted Milly, and when the three 


213 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

little girls set forth Milly was as well dressed as 
either of her companions ; her short hair was con- 
cealed by a pretty hood of brown cloth that An- 
nette had given her, and the little asylum girl 
now and then smiled happily at Nancy as, hand 
in hand, they walked beside Annette to the door 
of Mr. Samuel Broom, who welcomed them and 
promised two fine turkeys and a bushel of apples 
as his contribution toward the dinner for the asy- 
lum children. 

“And, if you please, sir, will you send the 
things at once? ’’ suggested Annette, and Mr. 
Broom, who was one of the committee of citizens 
selected to escort General Washington on his 
entrance to the city, declared that no time should 
be lost before the turkeys and apples should be 
started for the asylum. 

“ Why, everybody wants to give,” Annette 
declared to her little companions, as they went 
from door to door and were met everywhere with 
promises of help. 

“ There will be enough for two dinners,” said 
Nancy, “ and shoes for all the girls.” 

As they passed the Broadway Street house 
where the British Commander-in-Chief lived, 
Annette looked up at it and remembered the day 


214 


A LITTLE MAID 


in early summer when she had so reluctantly 
visited the house to ask Sir Guy’s pardon for her 
want of courtesy, and recalled his friendly recep- 
tion of the little American girl whom he had 
asked to tr}^ and think kindly of him. 

The older people were astonished at the suc- 
cess the little girls achieved. The matron of the 
asylum declared that an abundance of food had 
been received, and that a feast was assured for 
all the asylum children. On November twenty- 
fourth Delia, Betty, Annette and Nancy went 
with Mrs. Vincent and a number of other ladies 
to the asylum carrying stockings, shoes, hoods 
and capes for the little girls to wear, and Nancy 
gave Betty’s stockings to the little girls who had 
been her former playmates. Nancy was per- 
haps the happiest little girl in all the city of New 
York on the eve of the great day that was to see 
the British fleet sail out of New York harbor, 
never again to return. But that day was not to 
end without bringing a surprise to Annette. 

They had just returned home from the visit to 
the asylum. Mr. and Mrs. Vincent had gone to 
consult with other friends about the celebration 
of the following day, and Annette and Nancy, 
with Lottie, were alone in the house when a loud 


215 


OF OLD NEW YORK 

knock at the front door echoed through the house, 
and Lottie came hurrying into the sitting-room, 
where the little girls were sitting on the rug be- 
fore a cheerful open fire, saying in a whisper: 

“ Lan’ sake. Miss Annette! Wot we gwine 
ter do? Dar’s a British sojer at de door a-askin’ 
ter see yo’I He say he hab a message fer Miss 
Annette Vincent,” and Lottie looked at her 
young mistress with frightened eyes. 

“ It must be for Father,” Annette said, jump- 
ing up from the rug. 

But Lottie shook her head. “ No, Missie, he 
say som’t’ing ’bout dat islan’ place whar dose 
Tory fo’k go.” 

“Kathy! It’s from Kathy!” exclaimed An- 
nette eagerlj/, running toward the door, with 
Lottie close behind her. 

The young English soldier smiled at Annette’s 
eager question: “ F ave you brought me a letter 
from Kathy Down? ” and responded: 

“ I hope so, little maid. Sir Guy Carleton 
sends you this package with his compliments, and 
bade me say that if you had any message for 
Miss Katherine Down to give it to me and that 
he would make sure that it reached her safely.” 

“ Yes, yes, I have a letter all ready except seal- 


216 


A LITTLE MAID 


ing,” said Annette, as she took the packet the 
soldier offered her. “ Will you not come in while 
I get it ready? ” 

“ Thank you, I will wait here,” the soldier an- 
swered, and Annette sped up-stairs to scribble 
another brief word to Kathy and then seal the 
letter which was to go to her little Tory friend, 
and in a few moments she was back at the door 
and the soldier had taken the missive. 

“ Please tell Sir Guy that I thank him very 
much, and I thank you, too,” said Annette with 
a little curtsey. 

I am glad to do you a service, little maid,” 
the young soldier replied, and touching his cap 
he ran down the steps, while Annette hurried 
back to the sitting-room to read Kathy’s long 
expected letter. 

The morning of November twenty-fifth, 1783, 
dawned clear and fine, and the British troops, 
who had so long encamped along the Bowery, 
began to march toward the Battery and embark 
on the waiting ships. As these soldiers left their 
various posts their places were taken by Amer- 
icans, and New York was soon quietly in the 
possession of the American army. At noon 
General Henry Knox, with a great number of 


OF OLD NEW YORK 217 

respectable citizens on horseback, repaired to the 
Bowery to meet General Washington and Gov- 
ernor Clinton and escort them to the city. It 
was to be a great procession, and New York’s 
streets were filled with happy people eager to do 
honor to the great Washington, whose wisdom 
and valor had led America to her rightful free- 
dom. 

Ajinette and Nancy with Mrs. Vincent and 
Grandma Vincent, in Grandma’s comfortable 
carriage, driven by Grimm, were at Bowling 
Green in good season, and the little girls waved 
their hands at the asylum girls, who were there 
before them, all smiling with delight at the won- 
derful holiday and eagerly pointing out to each 
other Delia, Annette and Betty, as the girls who 
had given them so great a treat. 

Shortly after one o’clock loud huzzas were 
heard from the crowds at the Battery, and the 
people realized that the last British soldier had 
embarked, and now cheers echoed along the 
streets, and marching into the city came His Ex- 
cellency George Washington and Governor 
George Clinton, with their respective suites, and 
followed by senators, the officers of the army and 
citizens on horseback, marching eight abreast. 


218 


A LITTLE MAID 

As the worn troops in their shabby uniforms 
moved along the streets so lately vacated by the 
well-cared-for and brilliantly dressed British sol- 
diers, many of the older people felt as if they 
were beholding the greatest event in America’s 
history. 

Grimm skilfully made his way toward the Bat- 
tery and on one of the side streets Grandma and 
Mrs. Vincent and the little girls left the carriage 
and hurried to the Battery, where the triumphant 
march was to end. 

Annette glanced quickly toward the tall flag- 
pole. 

“Oh, the British flag is still there!” she ex- 
claimed, and at the same moment Washington 
and his companions approached the Battery, and 
it was discovered that the British flag, in parting 
defiance, had been nailed to the flagstaff, the 
halliards unreefed, the cleats knocked off, and the 
pole greased to prevent climbing. 

“Where is John? Oh, where is John? He 
could climb that pole,” exclaimed Annette, and 
suddenly remembered that it had been several 
days since she had seen her cousin. Every sec- 
ond brought Washington nearer, and to the 
little girl, as to everyone waiting at the Battery, 


OF OLD NEW YORK 219 

it seemed a dreadful thing that the British flag 
should float there as he approached. 

Annette made a resolve that she must find her 
cousin. Surely John must be near at such a time, 
and she looked anxiously about for some sign of 
him. John was a sailor who could climb any- 
where, she thought, and in a moment she had 
slipped away from her mother’s side and was 
running toward the shore. “ John may have 
sailed to the Battery,” she thought, as she made 
her way among the crowd and came to the edge 
of the pier. 

Yes. There lay the Fleetwing, just far 
enough distant for John to watch the great hap- 
penings on shore, but too far away to hear An- 
nette’s voice as she called his name. 

Annette snatched off her blue cape and waved 
it frantically. “ Oh, why doesn’t he see me! ” 
Annette exclaimed, and why did John not see 
that the flag he had so long wished to pull down 
still floated above loyal Americans, and that at 
any moment might float above Washington him- 
self? And John had seen the flag, but believed 
that it was to be the privilege of some favorable 
American to furl it. 

But at last Annette’s calls caught her cousin’s 


220 


A LITTLE MAID 


attention, and believing that the little girl was 
in some danger and needed his assistance, he in- 
stantly headed his boat for the landing-place and 
in a few moments was on shore. But before he 
could make the Fleetwing fast Annette was be- 
side him. 

“John! John! That flag, the British flag, 
is nailed to the pole. Nobody can get it. I saw 

men try and they couldn’t. You can ” But 

before Annette could finish John had turned and 
was racing toward the flagpole. His sailor’s 
training now stood him in good stead. By the 
time he reached the flagpole he had determined 
just what must be done. With a pocketful of 
sand he knew he could climb up that tall staff. 

“ I can haul down that flag. Nail on a couple 
of cleats here and give me a hand up,” he called 
to the excited group, “ and fetch a pail of sand,” 
he ordered a small boy, who sped away instantly 
and was back by the time the first cleats were 
nailed on. 

Then up went John toward the top of the pole, 
while a hush fell on the waiting crowd and nearer 
and nearer came the music that sounded the ap- 
proach of the Commander of the American army. 

Annette had run after her cousin and now 


OF OLD NEW YORK 221 

stood watching hiin with clasped hands and an 
anxious heart. 

“ Oh, if he slips; if he doesn’t get to the top, 
what can we do? ” whispered the little girl, who 
for the moment had forgotten everything except 
that the flag of England still floated as if in 
triumph while America’s emblem was not in its 
rightful place. 

But John went steadily on, and as he tore the 
flag from its halliards and nailed the American 
flag in its place a great cheer rose from the crowd, 
and friends who had recognized John shouted his 
name triumphantly. The British ships were go- 
ing slowly down the bay, but they were sure to 
have their glasses turned toward the Battery and 
to have seen the disappearance of their flag. 

And now General Washington and his dis- 
tinguished company had reached the Battery, and 
as John Van Arsdale stood at the foot of the flag- 
pole eager hands seized him, and the boy was 
nearly carried to the side of the great General’s 
horse, while the story of the flags and John’s 
part in raising the emblem of America was briefly 
described. But as Washington smiled approv- 
ingly on the lad and added his word of com- 
mendation, that John was to treasure all his life. 


222 


A LITTLE MAID 


the boy exclaimed: “ ’Tis my cousin Annette you 
should praise, sir, if you please. For ’twas she 
who bade me climb the flagpole,” and John 
looked quidvly about for his small cousin, and 
seeing her not far away he pointed toward her. 

“ There she is, with the blue cape.” A tall 
man standing beside Annette bent toward her, 
and lifting the astonished little girl in his arms 
carried her toward General Washington. 

“Set me down, quickly, if you please, sir, that 
I may curtsey to the great Washington,” said 
Annette, and with a little laugh her tall friend set 
Annette on her feet beside her Cousin John, who 
held out his hand in welcome. 

“ If you please, sir, this is my cousin, Annette 
Vincent, who bade me climb the flagpole,” said 
John, and Annette made her best curtsey as 
Washington leaned toward them and said: 

“You are brave and loyal children, and I am 
proud that a little maid of New York should be so 
eager to see America’s flag float over her native 
city.” 

John bowed low and Annette curtseyed again, 
and General Washington and his staff turned and 
moved back toward the hotel where they were to 
dine. 


OF OLD NEW YORK 


223 


Hand in hand the cousins hurried in search of 
Annette’s mother, and John again told the story 
of his cousin’s search for him and of what had 
followed, 

“Was she not a loyal little maid to want that 
flag down? ” questioned John, as if forgetful of 
his own great part in the greatest event of the 
most important day in the history of New York. 

Delia and Betty came running to speak with 
Annette, eager to hear the exact words that Gen- 
eral Washington had said, and as the girls 
walked toward Cherry Street it was Delia who 
recalled that day in June when John had taken 
Annette and her friends for the picnic to Staten 
Island. “And John said that very day that he 
would like to be the one to pull down the British 
flag from the Battery flagpole, and now he has 
pulled it down,” said Delia triumphantly. 

“ But I would not have had the chance if it 
had not been for Annette,” John declared, with 
an approving smile at his cousin. 

Far down the harbor the ships of the British 
fleet were now nearly out of sight and the little 
group stood for a moment for a last look at them. 

“ Good-bye, Sir Guy,” Annette whispered to 
herself, in remembrance of her promise to give 


224 


A LITTLE MAID 


the British General a friendly thought when he 
should sail away from America. Then she re- 
called the kindly words of Washington as he had 
smiled down upon her. “ ‘A loyal little maid of 
New York,’ ” General Washington had called 
her, and Annette’s great desire was at last ful- 
filled, for now her Cousin John was quite ready 
to agree with General Washington and would 
never again doubt Annette’s loyalty. 


The Stories in this Series are : 

A LITTLE MAID OF PROVINCE TOWN. 

A LITTLE MAID OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY. 
A LITTLE MAID OF NARRAGANSETT BAY. 

A LITTLE MAID OF BUNKER HILL. 

A LITTLE MAID OF TICONDEROGA. 

A LITTLE MAID OF OLD CONNECTICUT. 

A LITTLE MAID OF OLD PHILADELPHIA. 

A LITTLE MAID OF OLD MAINE. 

A LITTLE MAID OF OLD NEW YORK. 


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